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CHICAGO — It was apparent I wasn’t at an NFL-sponsored press conference from
the moment I walked into the Chicago Marriott meeting hall. For starters, there was rock
music coming from the stack of amplifiers that flanked the stage.
The NFL is pretty slick, to be sure. There’s considerable production and
behind-the-scenes work at all NFL functions. But I can tell you this for sure: There
isn’t rock music before press conferences.
This is not your beloved NFL. It’s the XFL, and as far as I can tell, it’s
not going away any time soon.
The emerging pro football league was in Chicago on Tuesday, to announce this city would
be home to one of the founding XFL franchises. The league also introduced Ken Valdiserri
as the vice president/general manager of the franchise. Valdiserri has no ties to
professional wrestling, which is intrinsically tied to this start-up league. Valdiserri
comes from an NFL team, as he was employed by the Chicago Bears in a variety of capacities
for 16 years.
It was also announced that the Chicago franchise has already hired a director of
personnel, Quintin Smith. Smith also comes from the NFL. He played two seasons for the
Bears before becoming a scout for the Chiefs and then the Vikings.
And rumor has it that the first head coach of the Chicago team could be Buddy Ryan, the
genius defensive coordinator/hothead who helped lead the Bears to a Super Bowl win after
the 1985 season. Whether that comes to fruition, the rumors already have people in Chicago
talking.
There’s already a buzz about this league.
Yes, the XFL is born of the World Wrestling Federation. It will emphasize the sizzle of
the silly craze known as "professional wrestling." While I may not be a fan of
wrestling, I am smart enough to recognize the mega-success that WWF has achieved in recent
years.
With the marketing savy of WWF chairman of the board Vince McMahon, the presence of a
TV partner like NBC, and the league’s decision to hire veteran football people with
backgrounds in the NFL, this league just might prosper.
First, some of the other details that were announced at this rock-and-roll press
conference. The new Chicago franchise will play in Soldier Field, home of the NFL’s
Bears. The other seven founding franchises will be announced in the next three to four
weeks at similar press conferences around the country. The 10-game season will kick off on
Feb. 3, 2001.
McMahon, with his deep, commanding voice, stated that this is not a spring football
league, surely trying to discourage comparisons to the failed USFL. He said that the
league has strategically decided to kick off its seasons the weekend after the Super Bowl.
That way, they will capitalize on the momentum of the NFL’s title game.
He said he knows that people are asking, " ‘Where’s my football?’
after the Super Bowl. Now I know where it is. It’s right in front of me. It’s
the XFL."
Right in front of you, and judging from the production values of pro wrestling, it will
likely be in your face, too.
The league’s games will be broadcast at 8 p.m. (ET) on Saturdays on NBC. UPN will
broadcast games live every Sunday night at 7 p.m. (ET) The XFL also plans to team up with
a cable station to show additional games.
McMahon couldn’t help but stir up a little controversy, or fire an opening shot at
the NFL. Starting fights, real or imagined, is something that McMahon has a lot of
experience in, considering his wrestling background.
When asked what he thinks NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue will be thinking in five
years if this league really takes off, McMahon said, "I really don’t care about
Paul Tagliabue, quite frankly. We don’t really consider ourselves competition for the
NFL.
"They’ve become extremely corporate, and extremely antiseptic. …
We’re not serving quiche and champagne. So this is totally different from the
NFL."
Ouch.
McMahon said that the NFL is already taking notice of the XFL’s presence. He
mentioned that the NFL is considering using microphones and helmetcams in the preseason,
and noted that those are ideas that come from the XFL.
"The NFL is afraid to show us the passion," said McMahon. He said that people
want to see and hear what the coach says to a receiver who drops a pass in the endzone.
You won’t get that in the NFL, he noted, but you can count on hearing it in the XFL.
"Very few people know what it feels like to get knocked on their ass," said
McMahon. "I want them to feel that."
I’ve sat through some mind-numbing Tagliabue press conferences in my days. This
McMahon guy is the anti-Tagliabue. And as much as I hate to admit it, McMahon’s style
is kind of refreshing, even if it’s contrived.
He said the XFL "will prove to be the most exciting sports league since the
Gladiator days." And that’s another thing the XFL has been trying to stress.
While the WWF is scripted, with results known in advance, the XFL is a "sports"
league. The games will be determined on the field, not in a writer’s head.
"The WWF is strictly entertainment, always has been, always will," said
McMahon. "This (XFL) is strictly sport."
While the XFL may be counting on carrying the NFL’s postseason momentum, it should
be noted that the weather can be downright painful in Chicago in February. How does this
new team plan to attract fans to Soldier Field when it’s 25 degrees and snowy?
Valdiserri said the franchise will create hype and offer promotions that will attract
fans. But considering most of the fun will likely take place on television screens, it
won’t be necessary for every seat to be sold for this team to be a success.
I suspect the league is more about TV ratings than fannies in the seats.
Still, McMahon said that game days will be similar to WWF events, where the fans are
co-stars. He plans to make them a focal point during breaks in the action. Basically, go
to an XFL game, and you can count on being seen on TV.
A similar press conference is planned for Memphis on June 21, where it is expected that
the Tennessee city will be granted the second official XFL franchise. Other cities
believed to be in line for XFL franchises are New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami,
Orlando, Washington — although Las Vegas could supplant one of the other sites.
There are still millions of details that need to be worked out before the first XFL
touchdown is scored, but judging from what I saw at this rock-and-roll press conference,
this thing just might catch on. |
