As a football fan I love watching the game in all of it’s forms. I was a fan of the AAF and watched almost all of the games that were broadcast on TNT, NFL Network, and CBS Sports Network. I have to say, I loved that league, I loved the idea of it, and truly believed that it was going to work. The numbers backed up that idea as well, the AAF was averaging between 400K-500K per game. Which isn’t bad considering. Then Tom Dundon got involved and the leaks about how bad of a dumpster fire it was behind the scenes. I thought it was all bluster and that Dundon just wanted the gambling app that was being developed. Well, after reading all the reporting that has been going on, I’m surprised the league lasted the 7 weeks it did.
The XFL does not seem to have the financial obsticles that the AAF had. The XFL is backed by a billionaire who has the funds to make sure that players will get paid on time and can afford being in the red for a few years until this league gets off the ground. The XFL also already has deals in place to show it’s games on FOX and ESPN. I am hopeful that the XFL can succeed where the AAF failed because I don’t care about the NBA, I only watch college basketball for teams I have a rooting interest in (NC State, Arizona State and hopefully come this fall Kent State), and the same goes for hockey (I am a Penguins fan). There is a large void in my spring sports watching calendar that I would like to have filled with a spring football league.
From the look at the participants from the XFL tryout camps, it looks as though the ACC will be well represented. I went through the participant list and found the names and schools of the players from the ACC that have gotten tryouts so far.
XFL Dallas participants: 3, Dashaun Phillips DE Clemson, Corey Crawford DE Clemson, and Drew Bailey DT Louisville
XFL New York participants: 9, Hakeem Nicks WR UNC, Ervin Phillips WR Syracuse, Andre Williams RB BC, Patrick Towles QB BC, Andrew Tiller OG Syracuse, Sean Hickey OT Syracuse, Brandon Pertile OT Virginia, Garland Owens LB BC, James Folston DE PITT,
XFL Houston participants: 3: Deiontrez Mount DE Louisville, Qua Stacy WR Georgia Tech, Zeke Pike TE Louisville
XFL Seattle participants: 1; Ty Schwab LB BC
XFL Washington DC participants: 22; Corey Marshall DT VT, Scott Pagano DT Clemson, Amba Etaa-Tawo WR Syracuse, Jacoby Ford WR Clemson, Tobias Palmer WR NC State, Rachid Ibrahim RB Pitt, Marquise Williams QB UNC, Scott Orndoff TE Pitt, Javoni Robinson TE NC State, Cameron Serigne TE Wake Forest, Kyle Chung OG VT, Joe Gore OT Clemson, Bryce Canady CB Virginia, Donnie Miles SAF UNC, Van Smith SAF Clemson, Colton Taylor LS VT, Tavaris Barnes DE Clemson, Jeremiah Clarke DE UNC, David Dean DT Virginia, BJ Bubose DT Louisville, Corey Marshall DT VT
There have also been tryouts in Tampa and Los Angeles but I was unable to track down a participant list for these 2 locations. But as you can see, there has been a strong contingent from the ACC at these tryout camps so far.
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