2024 XFL season
The 2024 XFL season was the planned third season of the rebooted XFL and the second under its new ownership group of Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, and Gerry Cardinale.
In September 2023, Axios reported that the XFL was in advanced talks with the USFL to merge the two leagues prior to the start of their 2024 seasons. On September 28, 2023, the USFL and XFL announced their intent to merge. In a separate statement, XFL President Russ Brandon indicated that league operations would continue unaffected until the deal closes and regulators approve the merger, and that all contracts with the league would be honored. On November 30, 2023, Garcia announced via her Instagram page that the leagues had received regulatory approval for the merger and were finalizing plans for a "combined season" to begin March 30, 2024.
The merger was formally announced on Fox NFL Sunday on December 31, 2023, with both leagues cancelling their planned season while surviving teams will play the 2024 season in the newly formed United Football League.
Offseason
The Arlington Renegades defeated the DC Defenders in the 2023 XFL Championship Game to become the first league champions in this iteration of the XFL.The league lost nearly $60 million during the season after spending approximately $140 million in expenses over the course of the 2023 season and earned $80 million in gross revenue, including roughly $20 million that came from its broadcast contract with ESPN. Executives with the league and ESPN indicated that they considered the season a success. After the season ended, the XFL made league wide cuts affecting up to 30 people, including two marketing executives, and shifted other employees to seasonal work. According to several reports, the XFL marketing budget was only $120,000 for the 2023 season.
More than 200 players who played in the 2023 XFL season earned invitations to workout for NFL teams, while 63 of them signed contracts. One player started the 2023 NFL season on an active 53-man NFL roster, while 17 other players started the season on practice squads.
During the 2023 season, XFL players filed a petition for a representation election with Region 16 of the National Labor Relations Board, but decided against joining the union by vote of 124 to 73.
Merger with the USFL
On September 19, 2023, Axios reported that the XFL was in advanced talks with the USFL to create a "merger of equals" between the two leagues before the XFL 2024 season kicks off in February, with an agreement potentially announced by the end of the month. The USFL registered a trademark for "National Spring Football League," the name of the USFL's parent company but speculated to also be a name for the potential merged league, that was made public September 27. On September 28, the USFL and XFL announced their intent to merge with the specific details of the merger to be announced at a later date. The merger would also require regulatory approval. In October 2023 the XFL filed a trademark application for the name "United Football League," a name that founder Vince McMahon had previously registered in 2017 several years following the suspension of a previous league by that name. On November 30, 2023, the league chairwoman Dany Garcia announced via her Instagram page that they completed the antitrust review process to approve the leagues' merger, and the new league will begin its season on March 30, 2024. An end-of-year memo from league vice president Doug Whaley indicated that the league would again be based at a hub in Arlington, Texas and that training camps would begin on February 23, 2024. On December 31, The merger was formally announced and the name of the combined league was confirmed as the United Football League, with each component league surviving as a conference within the UFL.Teams
In a press gathering at the league's showcase in St. Louis, league president Russ Brandon confirmed that the league would remain at eight teams for the 2024 season. The league acknowledged on July 25, 2023, that renovations could render the Houston Roughnecks' home stadium in 2020 and 2023, TDECU Stadium, not available for the 2024 season but that the league would seek another stadium in Houston if that is the case and ruled out relocating the team out of the city. Following the merger, the UFL struck an agreement to use Rice University Stadium for a Houston franchiseOn August 31, 2023, the Vegas Vipers announced that they would not return to Cashman Field for the 2024 season, citing widespread negative feedback from multiple sources about the venue.
Players
For the 2024 season, the league would expand its rosters to 90-men rosters in the off-season due to expected attrition, while every player will "have a NFL out-clause until the 16th week of the 2023 NFL season".On March 20, 2023, the league announced it has named American National Combines as the "official regional combines partner", with the ANC running a year-round scouting events, allowing the XFL to "identify more high-quality and talented players". The XFL hosted a series of player showcases across the United States in June and July, including: "HBCU Showcase" at Clark Atlanta University."XFL combine" at Choctaw Stadium which was livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook. For the combine the XFL had partnerships with three companies - Catapult Sports, VALD Performance and Vitruve - for data breakdown."Supplemental Showcase" - in Orlando for players who are eligible to be selected at the XFL Supplemental Draft."Specialist Showcase" in partnership with Novak Kicking & Consulting at San Diego, California, featuring 76 players.
Draft
In an interview after the 2023 season, XFL's Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Doug Whaley disclosed that the league plans a "rookie" draft scheduled for June 16, 2023 and would conduct "multiple drafts" in the fall of 2023. The XFL Rookie Draft conducted on June 16, 2023, with 80 players being selected.On July 28 the XFL held a "rights claim" draft, which had not been announced to the public, and the picks were later released through the official XFL transaction page. The players rights were assigned to the selected team, but they are not under contract with the team. The players selected included: Tavon Austin, Darrynton Evans, Chris Odom, Dru Samia, Josh Jackson, Darrell Henderson, Harrison Hand, Quinton Bell and Anthony Gordon.
As a result of the merger talks, the planned 2024 Draft was postponed to November and later cancelled.
Compensation
After the 2023 season concluded, Doug Whaley, XFL's Senior Vice President of Player Personnel, said in an interview that the league delaying contracts for 2024 season due to a potential unionization of players from "another entity". Russ Giglio, Senior Director, Player Administration and Officiating Operations, also mentioned that 2023 season players has a mutual 'opt-in' agreement: "The players that finish the season have a mutual option with the team to sign back. The team wants the player back, the player wants to come back, we’ll sign a contract".On December 29, 2023 XFL players were notified by Whaley that their current contracts and health benefits would expire on December 31, 2023.
Player movement
- Darnell Sankey asked to return to the CFL and granted his release on August 1, 2023, from Arlington Renegades.
- On July 31, 2023 Travis Rudolph signed with the Orlando Guardians after he was acquitted from murder charges.
- On August 9, 2023, the exclusive rights of 28 players who participate in the "XFL Combines" and "IFL to XFL Combine" were claimed by XFL teams. The claiming process is similar to the NFL's "futures contracts".
- On August 11, 2023 the Seattle Sea Dragons made a trade with St. Louis Battlehawks for LB Silas Kelly in exchange for TE Charlie Taumoepeau and a claim rights pick from the XFL Combine, while the Houston Roughnecks acquired WR Landen Akers from the San Antonio Brahmas for a claim rights pick.
- In October a total of 117 players signed letters of intent with XFL teams.