The One Key To The XFL Successfully Competing With The NFL

As I’m sure all of you know by now, the XFL was relaunched yesterday setting up the "Once in a a Lifetime" part two between the NFL and Vince McMahon.

Right now, the XFL seems to be presenting itself as the antithesis of everything the NFL has been criticized for. From preventing player protests to shorter game times, the XFL has promised the moon to football fans.

What the XFL hasn’t promised, at least not yet, is a true X factor to differentiate itself from any of the other past NFL competitors.

Sure, shorter games, simpler rules, and players who have all been on the right side of the justice system are all aspects of the XFL which differ from its counterpart. None of these factors are something which truly change the game of football and how it’s viewed though.

There is however, one tidbit of what the Chairman of the Board presented that stood out to me. In the press conference covered by ESPN, McMahon said, "I don't think people want to see the same thing when they're streaming as they see on television, that’s boring. I think fans want it shot in a totally different way, and I think there's an immersive opportunity that's more interactive to the game".

This statement could lead to the kind of programming that can make XFL a true competitor. What the NFL has been struggling with this season has been ratings. Undeniably, one of the factors which has hurt those ratings is the increasing prevalence of social media in sports. If McMahon, with all of the gusto that surrounded the launch of the WWE Network, could pull off a similar feat in organizing a truly unique viewing experience when streaming football, he could hit the NFL right where they’ve been hurting.

McMahon, in my opinion, should seek to forge TV deals with major streaming companies like Netflix or Hulu. In fact, McMahon already alluded to his desire to do about as much in the very same interview saying, "To me the landscape has changed in so many different ways. Just look at technology and companies like Facebook and Amazon bidding for sports rights. Even if ratings go down, there's no denying that live sports rights continue to be valuable and continue to deliver".

If McMahon can form an alliance with someone like Facebook, who he already is probably familiar with through the Mixed Match Challenge on Facebook Live, he could create a mutually beneficial agreement that makes both companies into true threats to the NFL’s dominance. Facebook would have a program that they can truly set as a flagship show, while McMahon would be able to reach a market which the NFL seems to just now be making an attempt to truly reach with shows such as Tom vs Time.

All in all, if McMahon could find a partnership like that, and a new angle to present football programming, he could set the XFL up for more than just a one year run. He could quickly make the XFL the WCW to Roger Goodell’s WWE juggernaut.