The Xtreme Football League kicks off its inaugural season Saturday. The eight-team league consists of players with past football experience, ranging from the collegiate level to the National Football League. Three national television stations, NBC, UPN and TNN will broadcast games on a weekly basis.
WWF owner Vince McMahon and NBC established the 10 game season of fast-paced, rock 'em sock 'em football, with a goal of reaching the national audience left behind by the climatic finish of the Super Bowl.
Milwaukee Brewers television announcer Matt Vasgersian teams up with former wrestler and current Minnesota Governor Jesse "The Body" Ventura for NBC's Saturday night broadcast. TNN and UPN will telecast games on Sunday afternoons.
A major question of football fans across the country has been how legitimate will the XFL be? Sorry wrestling fans, no aluminum chairs are allowed on the playing field. But that will not take away from the action of the XFL, organizers say.
Vasgersian guaranteed this league is for real. "Ask Rozelle (NFL Commissioner) Pete how tough it is to script a game. You can't do it, you just can't do it. Those are people who don't know a thing about sports," Vasgersian said.
Television crews will take their audience closer to the action then ever before with helmet, locker room and sideline cameras. Even the broadcast team of Vasgersian and Ventura will be in the mix -- in the stands with the fans.
Former wrestlers and football players like Jerry "The King" Lawler and Brian Bosworth add to the "extremeness" of the broadcast. And don't forget the cast of scantly-dressed cheerleaders wandering the sidelines.
The eight-team league includes the New York/New Jersey Hitmen, Orlando Rage, Memphis Maniax, Birmingham Thunderbolts, Chicago Enforcers, Las Vegas Outlaws, Los Angeles Extreme and San Francisco Demons.
Player's salaries range between $35,000 and $50,000, with an opportunity to earn incentives for each win. The league champion will divide $1 million amongst their team. Vegasinsider.com has the Los Angeles Xtreme as the insider's favorite to win the championship.
Same game, different rules
The XFL has several different rules than the NFL. Most controversial has been the no fair catch rule on punt returns. The rule places the punt returner in a dangerous position, though he has a five-yard cushion until he catches the ball against opposing tacklers.
Additional rules include a one-foot inbound rule for receivers and the opposing defense on receptions or interceptions. Bump-and-run is allowed by the defense on pass coverage. Following a touchdown, the offense must execute a play from the 2-yard line for their extra point, instead of kicking an easy chip shot.
To increase the action, the XFL has adopted a shorter play clock of 35 seconds to get a play off after the previous play is ruled dead, and 25 seconds following a clock stoppage.
Wisconsin ties to the XFL include former Packers receiver Charles Jordan and 1994 University of Wisconsin Rose Bowl Champion Brent Moss. Both Moss and Jordan have taken their games to the extreme off the field, now they look to re-establish themselves with the Maniax.
Several other former Packers include running back LeShon Johnson and wide receiver/kick returner Roell Preston. Johnson and Preston play for the Chicago Enforcers, who play their home games at Soldier Field, the closest action to Milwaukee.
However, the XFL has arrived at Sportsworld and Sportsworldbymail.com in Milwaukee. Tim Seeger, owner of Sportsworld (12201 W. North Ave.), said he has seen XFL merchandise take off.
"It is at a perfect time, the Super Bowl is over and football fans are still hungry. It will be a throw back to the smash mouth football styles of Jim Taylor, Ray Nitschke and the rest of the NFL in the sixties and seventies," Seeger said.
XFL action kicks off Saturday night at 7 p.m. on NBC. Tune in as Vasgersian and Ventura broadcast live form Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, as the Hitmen look to shoot it out with Outlaws. For more information on the XFL, check out their Web site at XFL.com.
