NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is happy to welcome Vince McMahon and the XFL back to the pro football landscape.
Goodell told FOX Business that he sees the return of the XFL as a good thing because it demonstrates the level of interest in the sport.
“I personally look at it as a positive because people are investing in football, and they’re investing a significant amount of capital to create new football leagues,” Goodell said. “That just shows you the popularity of our game. In fact, what I usually hear starting next week is, ‘I’m going to miss football for the next six months. What am I going to do?’ They’re going to have an opportunity to see the XFL starting next week. People are investing in football. I think that only creates greater opportunities and, frankly, more fans.”
The XFL will have significant exposure for its kickoff weekend, with games on ABC and FOX on Saturday and games on ESPN and FOX on Sunday. The XFL won’t reach anything close to the viewership for the NFL, but America has a large appetite for pro football, and a few million Americans will be watching the XFL next weekend.