A lot of people want to know who should buy the XFL. The league filed for bankruptcy in April at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Axios has since reported that Vince McMahon and parent company Alpha Entertainment are actively looking for buyers. Interested parties are expected to submit letters of intent early next month with bids due in July.
And while we know the XFL wants to sell, no names or even rumors about interested buyers have been forthcoming. The XFL was fine for betting but the fantasy football element was lacking. On the field, games were watchable, but not great. The foundation for something good exists, but work is certainly needed.
Whoever is going to buy the XFL will need to be in it for the long haul. Unless they have some sort of extremely personal reason for acquiring the league. Let’s take a look at a few of the best candidates.
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3 candidates to buy the XFL
Andrew Yang
Why would you have a Democratic debate at the same time as an NFL game? Football fans vote too.
— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) September 12, 2019
Andrew Yang is a football fan. So much so he was annoyed when a Democratic debate overlapped with Thursday Night Football last year. He’s also been a strong voice for athletes coming out in support of UFC fighters as well as NCAA players. Buying the XFL would allow him to set an example for league/player relationships.
Yang is a successful businessperson and that is another reason why the former presidential candidate should buy the XFL. He’s an entrepreneur and should be able to bring this business acumen to a startup football league. Yang would build on the innovations launched in the XFL this year while also finding ways to improve the product, player safety and fan experience.
Amazon or Netflix
This is more hopeful than realistic, but Amazon or Netflix buying the XFL would be amazing for fans. That’s because everything would be geared towards creating content. Not just the games, but practices, documentaries and who knows what else would be fair game. They would also likely bring on partners to maximize the wagering and fantasy aspects of the league, which is far better than going it alone. Fans definitely win in this longshot scenario.
Ted Turner
Picture this, more than 20 years since Vince McMahon bought WCW and showed up on Monday Night Nitro, Ted Turner returns the favor by buying the XFL. What does Turner do with the league? The former Atlanta Braves manager just runs the thing into the ground, embarrassing his rival McMahon in the process.
The first thing Turner should do is a shot-for-shot remake of the classic Vince McMahon promo from Nitro. “It was only a matter of time before I, Ted Turner, bought my competition. That’s right, I own the XFL.” After that, maybe Jane Fonda and some of Turner’s kids buy individual teams.
