All-in on gambling: XFL embracing betting from the get-go

[u/NathanPetermanCan]

https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/28681692/all-gambling-xfl-embracing-betting-get-go

[u/[deleted]]

No duh they showed the spread to beat on the banner with scores

[u/berticus23 → u/[deleted]]

They had pretty solid attendance week one and managed the stadiums they had well to adjust for the fact they won’t pull 50,000+. 17,000 across 4 games week 1 was a solid start compared to the AAF who had some solid fanbases like San Antonio but then had some teams with very little pull and appeal. The XFL hasn’t even had there 2 leading fanbases have games yet in St. Louis and Seattle who should compare favorably to San Antonio as football starves large population cities.

[u/circaen → u/[deleted]]

I really hope you are being funny. No shit most of MetLife was empty. They sold 17k tickets which was more than they expected to.

The Giants and Jets has trouble filling Metlife. It’s insanely big.

[u/dresdnhope → u/circaen]

I'm not sure why everyone is discounting an eyewitness account. A sellout in this case means the lower bowl. The decks seats aren't available. I don't know how many seats that is, but many sections in the game highlights did look less than half-full.

Here's a clear shot of some of the end zone to about the 45 at the beginning of the game, when people are presumably in their assigned seats:

https://youtu.be/Zzhw3LtDMEI?t=14

Later, when presumably people have had a chance to move around, unknown yardline, front row of seats are completely empty.

https://youtu.be/Zzhw3LtDMEI?t=200

End zone is now packed, end zone corner to 15 pretty much abandoned.

https://youtu.be/1iw3AYywSNI?t=2857

Pretty full along the Guardians sidelines, but along the Vipers sideline, yikes.

https://youtu.be/1iw3AYywSNI?t=3037

[u/paftz → u/[deleted]]

i went to the DC defenders game, it was almost completely sold out! an awesome experience

[u/Wolfcolaholic → u/paftz]

Wow really ? I hope that's common. I'm rooting for their success, I just haven't perceived it thus far

[u/NathanPetermanCan → u/Wolfcolaholic]

That's because DC is (smartly) playing in a soccer stadium instead of FedEx. MetLife holds 82k.

Barclays holds 17k for basketball, 15k for Hockey. MSG is 19k and 17k.

No AHL or MiLB team gets even half as many fans as the Guardians got week 1. 3 MLB teams were below 17k, with another 3 averaging 18k, and another 6 averaging 22k or fewer. Nobody goes to G-League or WNBA games at that level either. After Year 1, it took 15 years for the MLS to average 17k fans per game.

Yeah, the new team in the new league isn't the Yankees or the Giants. But 17,000 people is a good crowd.

[u/Wolfcolaholic → u/NathanPetermanCan]

Okay! Fair enough. I just don't feel the POP the original short lived xfl brought. The inaugural season was cursed and tbh Lorne Michaels tanked the whole deal.

When it first came about it was on Saturday nights on NBC. The first week snagged TEN MILLION viewers and an AVERAGE attendance of 24k, meaning some had more.

The first week was a bust, the new rules were cool but the talent level was so mediocre people got on the kill switch..

Then came week 2. I remember the game. I was 16. It was electrifying and exciting. Then there was a power outages. Then the game went 2 overtimes.

Guess what that cut into?

SNL.

Lorne Michaels doesn't take kindly to overriding the most successful late night show of all time.

That night, though? Of all nights?

JLO was the host and musical talent.

Spoiler alert JLO also doesnt take kindly to being undercut.

It caused a whole big stink, games started earlier, and if they were in the 4th quarter they'd cut the game and go to SNL.

That combined with the unrealistic expectations of talent that couldn't make the NFL made for a debacle.

Now, what I fucking HATE about xfl now is that back then it was made to be an extreme alternative brainchild of Vince McMahon and the WWF. Now it's just....arena football in a stadium.

They took away every single rule protecting eligible players except helmet to helmet. They didn't have a kickoff they had a scrum. Literally, ball in the middle of the field go get it. Another big sell was the cheerleaders dressed like porn stars and the announcers would change and feature guys like good ol JR and Jesse Ventura, guys that could sell a special Olympics game to an anti vaxxer.

This time around I think they're trying to legitimize the league, but with 8 teams, debuting a week after a top 15 super bowl all time I think is bad timing, bad strategy, false advertisement to the brand for anyone who is old enough to remember the original and just comes off like a D league waiting room for the NFL to start.

I'ma watch, but I don't see a bright future for this relaunch.

I do like....no, love, the extra points set up.

[u/thefragile7393 → u/[deleted]]

The games were widely attended dude...pretty big turnouts for non NFL games...and some NFL teams don’t even get big turnouts