What is XFL? What is the major difference between The Rock's XFL and NFL?

Just months ago, the future of XFL appeared grim after it was forced it suspend its revamped season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequently, the league declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and had been looking for a new buyer ever since. The only viable competition to the National Football League (NFL), XFL will be heading into a new direction after the league was purchased for $15 million by a group including Hollywood's one of biggest names, Dwayne Johnson. 

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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson along with his business partner Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital Partners acquired the league on Monday and the new owners are already planning to play next season. Garcia, who became the first female owner of a major American sports league, told ESPN: "We're planning for it. We're doing all the steps that need to happen for the execution of that. But we're also being mindful to what has actually been successful." 

Garcia also confirmed that the new owners are planning to kickstart a new era in XFL history by adopting a bubble format for 2021, similar to that of the NBA and MLS. Having just eight teams will make it easier for the league to create a safe "bubble environment," reckons Dany Garcia.

What is XFL? Difference between XFL and NFL

A professional football league, XFL initially played its debut season in 2001, when it was joint-venture between WWE chairman Vince McMahon and NBC Sport. Due to the popularity of the NFL, America's leading football league, the inaugural season was a major let down with reports suggesting the partners lost up to $35 million in the XFL. It wrapped up its proceedings after the first season bust. 

In 2018, McMahon once again aligned himself with the XFL, trying to create a separate niche for itself alongside NFL. Consisting of eight teams divided equally between an East and West division, the league was all set for its revamped season in 2020. The season was scrapped on March 8, just a month after its Opening Day. 

XFL has long strived to be the rival to the NFL that hasn't had one since it merged with the American Football league (AFL) in 1970. However, the football league faced several setbacks which curtailed its aspirations on both occasions. 

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How much is XFL worth? A new direction for NFL's rival?

XFL filed for bankruptcy on April 13, where it listed its value between $10 and $50 million. Most of the XFL employees including commissioner Oliver Luck were fired when the league suspended its business. President and chief operating officer Jeffrey Pollack are among the few active employees currently working towards formulating an organisational format for the third iteration of XFL. It is important to be noted that the acquisition of XFL must be first approved by a bankruptcy judge. The hearing is reportedly set for coming Friday. 

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(Image Credits: Dwayne Johnson Twitter Handle)