Now that the Super Bowl is done we enter a dry spell until baseball starts up in April. There are two new sports leagues starting up this weekend, anyone planning to check out either of them?

XFL is the resurrection of the football league that folded a couple decades ago after one season. They got rid of the "silly" crap from last time and really seemed to put some great ideas on the table this time. Plenty of NFL or nearly NFL level talent (207 of the 416 players on XFL rosters had been with an NFL team in the past six months), rules to make the game faster (Clock runs after an incompletion) and a good TV package (ABC, FOX and ESPN) will make it easy for football fans to check it out. The leagues first game will be Saturday on ABC.

MLR stands for Major League Rugby and it is in the process of expanding in its third season with new teams joining with two more scheduled for next year. If you are not familiar with Rugby it is a combination of football and soccer. Players do not wear pads, when a player is stopped there is no resetting into formations like football but there is a scrum battle for the ball, no forward passes and the player who scores makes the point after kick. It is pretty much non-stop action like soccer but with more scoring and contact. The downside is the TV schedule is still in progress and the MLR website cannot hold a candle to the XFL's.

Is anyone else planning to check either of them out? I will probably watch bits and pieces of the XFL and I have season tickets for New Englands MLR team the Free Jacks.

MLR (resized).JPG

XFL (resized).JPG

#2 4 years ago

ROB

VectorGamer

Pinside member

Harrisburg, PA

7y 54,150 591 25

I'll be checking out any XFL games that are broadcast over the air. I'm not going to sign up for a streaming service to watch the games though (ESPN, FS1).

I still got college football on my DVR from bowl season that I haven't watched.

#3 4 years ago

TSH

Travish

Pinside member

Greensboro, NC

11y 98,800 3,348 6

Here you go. I’ll admit it. No way I’m playing against these girls.

#4 4 years ago

SMK

TheLaw

Pinside+ Addict

Ann Arbor, MI

12y 162K 48,010 19 30 1

Nothi other than a passing glance or two. I've been promising my family to hang out with them after football season over for months, this would be the last
straw.

#5 4 years ago

TSS

Tsskinne

Tommy's Pins

11y 138K 6,877 14 1

TAMPA BAY VIPERS!!!! XFL!!! I'm looking forward to it.

#6 4 years ago

SIR

toasterman04

Pinside member

Saskatoon, SK

11y 99,600 1,733 30 22

Quoted from Travish:
Here you go. I’ll admit it. No way I’m playing against these girls.

I took my Grandpa to a LFL game when they came thru our town about 10 years ago. he was 92! he loved every minute of it.

#7 4 years ago

SMK

TheLaw

Pinside+ Addict

Ann Arbor, MI

12y 162K 48,010 19 30 1

Hopefully it can be a fun league with fans that love to talk aboot football and just used to explain their political ideologies.

Far fetched I know.

-1

#8 4 years ago

JAQ

vdojaq

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Crystal Lake, IL

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The title of the post is about as bad as some one saying, Well I seen them selling on Ebay for $xxxx. No, you saw asking prices on Ebay, not what they are selling for. No one has watched any XFL because it doesn't start until Saturday! It's The NFL season is over WILL anyone be watching XFL or MLR?

Rant over

#9 4 years ago

MJS

Matesamo

PinballRI

Warwick, RI

7y 117K 1,292 112

Quoted from vdojaq:
The title of the post is about as bad as some one saying, Well I seen them selling on Ebay for $xxxx. No, you saw asking prices on Ebay, not what they are selling for. No one has watched any XFL because it doesn't start until Saturday! It's The NFL season is over WILL anyone be watching XFL or MLR?
Rant over

Ok, ok. Pretend the title reads "The NFL season has now concluded until September. Is anyone currently watching Major League Rugby or is anyone planning to watch XFL when it starts February 8th?"

Easy-peasy.

#10 4 years ago

CRG

Toasterdog

Pinside member

Clearwater, FL

11y 95,550 3,646 2 46

Almost bought season tickets for the Vipers. Talked myself out of it, but will purchases a couple individual games. Ray Jay is great. Buy the cheapest seat, then just hang around the pirate ship and drink beer.

#11 4 years ago

ROB

VectorGamer

Pinside member

Harrisburg, PA

7y 54,150 591 25

Are there going to be XFL cheerleaders? I haven't heard any mention of it anywhere.

#12 4 years ago

JAY

Jaybird815

Pinside member

Manhattan, IL

9y 123K 6,904 2

Quoted from VectorGamer:
Are there going to be XFL cheerleaders? I haven't heard any mention of it anywhere.

It’s Vince McMahon, so I’m guessing yes.

#13 4 years ago

TDR

Who-Dey

In Memoriam

9y 117K 11,746 7 12

XFL Rocks!

#14 4 years ago

TDR

Who-Dey

In Memoriam

9y 117K 11,746 7 12

Quoted from Travish:
Here you go. I’ll admit it. No way I’m playing against these girls.

They hit harder than the NFL players do.

#15 4 years ago

TSS

Tsskinne

Tommy's Pins

11y 138K 6,877 14 1

Just one day away!

#16 4 years ago

TSH

Travish

Pinside member

Greensboro, NC

11y 98,800 3,348 6

Quoted from Who-Dey:
They hit harder than the NFL players do.

I think they could whoop several nfl teams. Especially my panthers.

#17 4 years ago

RNS

Electrocute

Pinside member

9y 104K 4,869 16

XFL background fan noise seems a little exaggerated but otherwise entertaining.

#18 4 years ago

WeatherbyMAG

Pinside member

Julian, PA

6y 73,150 757 6

Quoted from Travish:
I think they could whoop several nfl teams. Especially my panthers.

Hopefully Matt Rhule (& Brady) Help out a bunch...... I went to HS with Rhule, so been a fan of his teams wherever he has been, now have to be a Panthers fan by default.

Will be watching the NY XFL Game (it's on Sunday) as Matt McGloin will be the NY QB & as an Ex Penn Stater always liked Matt's moxie.

#19 4 years ago

TDR

Who-Dey

In Memoriam

9y 117K 11,746 7 12

Hey you gotta admit, that was some damn good football!! I love it.

#20 4 years ago

MJS

Matesamo

PinballRI

Warwick, RI

7y 117K 1,292 112

Opening weekend for the XFL got decent TV ratings, I will be interested in seeing what week two looks like. An increase due to good word of mouth or decline due to curiosity seekers not returning?

#21 4 years ago

JAY

Jaybird815

Pinside member

Manhattan, IL

9y 123K 6,904 2

OP
Quoted from Matesamo:
Opening weekend for the XFL got decent TV ratings, I will be interested in seeing what week two looks like. An increase due to good word of mouth or decline due to curiosity seekers not returning?

I think the XFL will do better this time, not because of quality of play but the huge popularity in DFS, Fan Duel and Draft Kings

#22 4 years ago

JAQ

vdojaq

Pinside+ Frequent

Crystal Lake, IL

11y 101K 6,029 24 1

OP
Quoted from Matesamo:
Opening weekend for the XFL got decent TV ratings, I will be interested in seeing what week two looks like. An increase due to good word of mouth or decline due to curiosity seekers not returning?

Last time around the product on the field was terrible and there were too many gimmicks that were distracting from the game. Huge ratings drop for week 2 of the original XFL. I do not see that happening this time around. The buzz around the media has been quite positive and the XFL could see the same or better ratings for week two.

#23 4 years ago

JAQ

vdojaq

Pinside+ Frequent

Crystal Lake, IL

11y 101K 6,029 24 1

Quoted from Who-Dey:
Hey you gotta admit, that was some damn good football!! I love it.

I don't know if it was damn good football, but it certainly was a damn good effort.

#24 4 years ago

SMK

TheLaw

Pinside+ Addict

Ann Arbor, MI

12y 162K 48,010 19 30 1

Quoted from vdojaq:
Huge ratings drop for week 2 of the original XFL. I do not see that happening this time around.

hard to tell with online shit these days, but the ratings were 4ish times lower for opening weekend; 14 million to 3 milion.
We shall see, def feels like people liek the product more.

#25 4 years ago

TSS

Tsskinne

Tommy's Pins

11y 138K 6,877 14 1

Only got to catch some of the Saturday evening game while I was working in the bar but what I saw looked pretty decent.

#26 4 years ago

SMK

TheLaw

Pinside+ Addict

Ann Arbor, MI

12y 162K 48,010 19 30 1

It was kind of decent as it wasn't a total embarrassment. I think they are better suited now becasue they aren't trying to be so diff'rent as much as improve upon things.
Most the games were blow outs & sloppy play around but they didn;t get much practice time before looking forward to improved play.

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