As I pulled up to the stadium two hours before kickoff, you could already feel the energy. It was palpable. The parking lot was full of tailgaters, playing games and throwing back White Claws (although the official beer of the XFL is Bud Light Seltzer, so fans may need to make the switch soon). It was a fun environment, and fans were pumped to have another Sunday full of football.

I walked into the stadium and made my way up to the press box. Activities were strewn about the stadium for fans and families to partake in. Kids all over were donning freshly pressed black, red, and orange Wildcats’ jerseys.

The mood was positive, the energy was high, and yet no one knew what to expect. What was about to take place in just two hours was a complete mystery to most. Sure, this was week 2 of the season, so we did get a preview of what this new league would look like. But this was the first live game that we would see, and we had no idea how many fans would actually show up to watch a spring football game after a rough week 1 road loss.

As I entered the press box, the mood was similar. A lot of excitement, some confusion, a lot of questions, and ample anticipation.

As game time neared, the seats in the 27,000 seat Dignity Health Sports Park remained mostly unclaimed. Lower bowl sections were littered with scattered patrons, but from a visiting tourist, this had to look a bit concerning. However, any local knows that Angelenos love to be fashionably late, plus beer is much cheaper outside the gate in the parking lot.

I took my seat and prepared for the opening kickoff.

By now, you know the results of the game. A turnover riddled first half that finished as a low-scoring affair 3-3. A more uptempo 3rd-quarter, but with a very similar result, 6-3. But then, an explosion in the 4th quarter, and the hype that we had all been waiting for.

The Wildcats offense came to life with some big plays, but unfortunately, the defense ran out of gas and allowed the Renegades to counter every time the ‘Cats struck.

Down 10 with roughly 4 minutes left, QB Josh Johnson connected with Nelson Spruce on a 44-yard touch pass for a touchdown. Then history was made as LA completed the first 3-point conversion in the league’s history. All of a sudden, with two plays and 10 seconds off the clock, it was a one-point game.

Of all the rule changes in the XFL, the point-after-touchdown scenario is the one that has intrigued fans the most, myself included. Well, safe to say, that the new rule is electrifying. The 15,000 fans that experienced it live will attest to its pure entertainment and genius.

This chapter, however, didn’t have a fairytale ending as the Renegades scored on their next possession, and then the Wildcats went four and out to end the game. But luckily, this story is not only a chapter long. There are at least eight more chapters that have yet to be written.

What this chapter does tell us, here are the cliff notes for those that do not appreciate good literature, is that football can work in the Spring in Los Angeles. Don’t believe the headlines. Don’t believe the criticism that the official attendance of 14, 979 was the lowest of the four games (by a mere 322 to DC).

If you were there you know that it can work. The passion was there. The energy was there. The excitement, while drained through 3-quarters, was at its peak to close out the game.

Great things come to those that wait. This is not going to be a flash in the pan league, and this is not going to be an overnight success story in Los Angeles. What in Los Angeles has ever been an overnight success story?