Back in 2001, NBC and WWE launched an alternative football league to the NFL called the “XFL.” The idea was for the league to feature fewer rules, encourage rough play and be featured during the NFL’s offseason, but it was canceled after one season and Vince McMahon considers the league to be a colossal failure. After 17 years, it seems that Vince McMahon and others are now willing to give the XFL another chance.

Over the last couple of months, there have been some rumors about the league’s return. For instance, Vince McMahon has sold 100 million of his WWE stock and filed for the XFL’s trademarks. It’s being reported by PWInsider that the XFL is expected to re-launch in 2020. Apparently, WWE’s production team is currently working on videos and promos that confirm the league’s return and will be airing sooner rather than later.

It was reported by Darren Rovell of ESPN that Vince McMahon selling off roughly 100 million of his stock with WWE was to create a new company called Alpha Entertainment, LLC. The belief is this company could be kept entirely separate from WWE as a way to ease the minds of WWE’s shareholders and to ensure that another failed run of the XFL does not negatively impact WWE programming in any way, shape, or form.

'Vince McMahon feels the market is ready for another try.' Featured image credit: WWE

The WWE Universe complains constantly about WWE’s monopoly over the wrestling business and how out of touch Vince McMahon can be, so it’s only natural for him to try to correct one of his biggest failures. The timetable seems to be for the XFL to re-launch during the NFL’s offseason in 2020. Apparently, the powers that be want at least two years to get a solid infrastructure in place for the league unlike they did last time.

So much has changed in the sports industry over the past 17 years. Over recent years, the NFL has run into some significant problems and negative press. An alternative football league may be the answer to a lot of football fans’ gripes with the NFL and give them football all year round. Vince McMahon may have been too early with the XFL. 2020 could be the right time to give the sports industry something brand new.