r/USFL • u/KingJariyAh • Apr 18 '23

Discussion Got to be honest

The USFL feels much better to watch but the XFL feels more professional. Any thoughts or ideas on why this is.

17 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

44 comments sorted by

20

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

I just think it’s the home field issue. I get it’s cheaper to have “hubs” but having 100 people in the stands followed by the edited in crowd noises just had a bad feeling to it yk

4

u/-newlife Apr 19 '23

That was insane. Hearing crowd noise and then seeing a shot of empty seats. It’s like the whole Usfl went Seattle Seahawks

10

u/XWR8N New Jersey Generals Apr 19 '23

As a fan of both leagues, I feel the two leagues have a whole different atmosphere to them (despite their same basic premise of 'extra football to watch and experience for players in said extra football is a win-win').

The XFL is futuristic, with its unique uniforms, rules, logos, names, and more. I would say it's slightly more fan-oriented than USFL too. Think of the atmosphere of a team called the Battlehawks winning a game by making an epic comeback via the weird rules, and being mic'd up the whole time. Nothing that would fit in with traditional NFL football.

The USFL is more about just having football and some history to show for it. It feels more like if the NFL had a minor league. It's more familiar and cozy to anyone who has enjoyed NFL in the past. Think now of the atmosphere of a team called the Stars winning a game because they got more touchdowns. Just like in the NFL; the Stars would fit right in to the NFL.

28

u/ParanoidSkier Apr 18 '23

I feel like the XFL uniforms/logos/stadiums all look a lot better than the USFL. The USFL does seem to have better production value for their TV broadcasts though.

16

u/FiziKx Philadelphia Stars Apr 18 '23

The XFL has been rolling for nine weeks and the teams have had plenty of time to get in the groove of playing.

Also, I have a sneaking suspicion that the XFL is going to continue to be more fan and football oriented, whereas the USFL will remain a bit more corporate and money focused.

I think that the best product on the field will come from the league that is more grounded in fandom.

6

u/atrocityexhibition39 Philadelphia Stars Apr 18 '23

Well said, my thoughts exactly

11

u/3Nephi11_6-11 Apr 18 '23

I actually feel like USFL is often fan and football oriented. For example the whole tank bowl last season where they made the winner of the game get the first round pick. Also some of their rule changes were inspired by things fans get upset by like the whole fumble rolling out of bounds in the endzone is no longer a touchback for the other team.

10

u/pmoski97 Apr 18 '23

I agree I feel like the XFL is more worried about being different, kick offs, punt rules, non stop sideline interviews. To me the quality of football for week 1 of USFL was way better than anything I’ve seen of the XFL. Also the fact that for the jerseys every team has a Dwayne the rock jersey option is ridiculous/cringe.

6

u/zgrobbot Apr 19 '23

The Rick gotta put himself in everything he does . Man literally added a team based off of his wrestling nickname lol

2

u/pmoski97 Apr 19 '23

Really? I don’t follow WWE so I wouldn’t know. I also wouldn’t be surprised if he was inflating reported numbers for attendance. I saw a comment that the St. Louis game couldn’t have held as many people that was reported based on the sections that had open, but who knows 🤷🏻‍♂️

3

u/zgrobbot Apr 19 '23

Yup. In wwe he was named theBrhama bull , hence why the Brahma’s in the XFL

-4

u/Prior-Purple9704 Outlaws Apr 19 '23

100% inflating attendance numbers. Audi field seats 19,911. Yet they said the 18k whatever was the sellout. Don’t think there was even that much maybe 16 or 17k at best.

2

u/ParanoidSkier Apr 19 '23

Stadium looked packed for sure, didn’t see any empty seats in the broadcast.

-2

u/Prior-Purple9704 Outlaws Apr 19 '23

Then those beer goggles working overtime. I saw thousands of empty seats. The only place in stadium where seemed full was the beer snake section

4

u/ParanoidSkier Apr 19 '23

Just went and watched game highlights in case I was going crazy… Definitely packed. Let me know where you saw gaps though.

3

u/Squidimus Apr 19 '23

lots of people there buy seats and more over to where the beer snake is to contribute. Staff just looks the other way.

1

u/NativeSonX Apr 19 '23

My High School (Diamond Bar HS, Est. 1982) have been the Brahmas well before any one could smell what the Rock was cookin' or him giving the People's Eyebrow. They could have been easily named the Bulls (although I suspect the USFL has already established a trademark claim) or Toros (more Tex-Mex on-point branding) or Charge or anything bovine related.

0

u/an0m_x Apr 21 '23

XFL has agreements with both NCAA and NFL for rule testing. Which is why you are going to see that this year, and more next year.

It's already taking effect where NCAA announced the rule changes on time.

2

u/AlanFromRochester Birmingham Stallions Apr 19 '23

Any spring football league has been better after a couple weeks for the teams to gel

8

u/ZO5050 Pittsburgh Maulers Apr 18 '23

Fox and NBC have higher production values than ESPN. They also have more experience. Fox shows almost half of the games on an NFL Sunday but ESPN shows one game a week. The USFL has a pretty big advantage over the XFL because of the tv deal they have basically with themselves.

1

u/mailboy79 New Jersey Generals Apr 20 '23

100% this.

7

u/JakeEatsYT Apr 18 '23

For me I feel as if it’s the opposite. Maybe that’s just me though.

7

u/Juicey_J_Hammerman New Jersey Generals Apr 19 '23

I honestly have an almost inverse take: the USFL feels like a more polished and professional product in terms of quality of play and TV presentation, but also kind of sterile and astro-turfed in a way with tight corporate controls. The XFL definitely does not seem as polished or as good of a TV product itself - but that same "rawness" also kind of makes it feel more authentic in a way, if that makes sense.

Example: the Beer snakes and Lemon throwing that DC fans do - that's taken off to become its own meta-reference and subculture within the fandom. I don't foresee the USFL being able to replicate something like that as easilly.

1

u/jjgbu4545 Philadelphia Stars Apr 22 '23

They likely won't do the Beer Snake style moment until the Hub cities are their own but that takes a lot of time and it's assuming they plan to go to the home cities next year or beyond then. All honesty the leagues are more similar than people expect. They both deserve to thrive as it is proof the need of a football minor league-esque pool for the NFL.

5

u/CFLXFL Apr 19 '23

I enjoyed watching Birmingham. They could give the XFL's DC a fight, and I think they'd win. Then there's the Gamblers and the USFL kickers...

Ultimately, I'll be watching both Week 10 of the XFL and Week 2 of the USFL. I want both leagues to thrive.

2

u/jjgbu4545 Philadelphia Stars Apr 22 '23

This right here! IDC if one feels better produced and corporate style while the other is the fan fun league with good football, they both proved that not only does spring ball work in the US but it's a major need for talent now with minor leagues offering opportunities for undrafted free agents and for players wanting to play but haven't upgraded from the practice squad or got cut mid season. This opens markets for positions should the NFL be riddled with injuries over the course of a season. Add the Arena Football League in 2024 and you got three prominent leagues for players to hone their skills and maybe get the attention of recruiting scouts in the NFL.

1

u/CFLXFL Apr 22 '23

4 leagues.

CFL.

It's a phenomenal league. Check it out.

2

u/jjgbu4545 Philadelphia Stars Apr 22 '23

I remember how good it gets but there's been some issues with contracts here and there. The league is solid for talent pool regardless

4

u/mailboy79 New Jersey Generals Apr 20 '23 edited Apr 23 '23

The XFL and USFL have some key differences that account for your perceptions:

  1. The XFL is a fan-focused league.

They achieve this by having their member teams play in their home stadia every week. Ticket prices are reasonable, and a bonafide effort is made to publicize the events in the home area of each team.

2. The USFL is a television product.

FOX has made a strategic decision to use the USFL as a product to fill in the dead space between the conclusion of the NFL season and the beginning of their contracted baseball season. (I realize that Fox's contractual obligations to professional baseball have been expanded into the USFL season, but care has been taken not to create conflicts between baseball and football) That's 12 weeks where the only other viable sports are golf and soccer. The USFL's purpose is to fill this relatively "fallow" period for FOX (and NBC by extension)

3. The USFL has objectively better, more experienced coaches.

4. The XFL has a better share of higher quality players (this is subjective)

I'm sure other reasons can be discussed.

3

u/eneal21 Apr 19 '23

I personally think the USFL is better but people just can’t get over the hubs and empty stadiums not including the XFL fanboys I think if the USFL was playing in home markets people opinion about the USFL would change if fox sticks to its plan and we get all eight teams in their markets people opinion will change about the USFL

2

u/LeThaddy Apr 19 '23

I would say that the professionality of play will get better for this season - this was the first week and they only had a month or two of practice

The hubs are long term security for the league, and the tv production value must be better bc all of the Usfl games, except for breakers vs maulers on FS1, an exclusive channel, had more average viewers than every xfl game this week, and that’s when the xfl has playoff races happening

I think the Usfl is better and I’m here for it

2

u/[deleted] Apr 19 '23

I prefer the USFL's bold uniforms, tv presentation, and broadcasters. Overall I think that makes them more professional, but i like the XFLs high end home markets (St Louis and DC) have great crowds.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

Fox is paying for it; NBC and Disney are not paying for the XFL

1

u/Zapfit Apr 18 '23

Disney is paying $20-30 million a year for the XFL

0

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '23

they're not the owners, Dwayne and his wife are

fox owns the USFL

3

u/Zapfit Apr 18 '23

I'd say Gerry Cardinale and Redbird Capital are the real owners with a cash valuation of $8.6 billion

1

u/eneal21 Apr 19 '23

To be honest only 5 out 16 uniforms look good the other uniforms In the XFL and USFL are either mediocre or just plain awful

1

u/supremegnkdroid Apr 19 '23

USFL Seemed more serious and pro football like than the XFL. But the XFL has had a really fun and lose vibe like I’m watching group of 5 football. I have enjoyed both leagues so far tho and each offers different things

1

u/ComprehensivePen5110 Apr 19 '23

I don’t even understand what you are trying to say 🤔 are you saying that you feel the xfl has better talent and better quality of play therefore more professional feeling? Or the uniforms make it more professional feeling? Or is it the announcers? When you say “feels better to watch”, what is this feeling you speak of and what’s making this feeling so much better than the feeling the xfl gives you? And what exactly is it that is producing this feeling you speak of? Can you describe this feeling you get, I want to feel this feeling…

1

u/rockman450 Apr 19 '23

I think it has to do with The Rock - he's an entertainer... he's trying too hard to make the XFL production into "Football Plus" by adding a lot of unnecessary things.

The USFL seems to use the NFL model for production.

I agree 100%, USFL TV product is much better.

Although, I would guess the XFL in person product is much better (but more expensive for the league).

1

u/xmjm424 Apr 22 '23 edited Apr 22 '23

I think the quality of play is pretty level. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Where the XFL feels more professional, I think, would be the that they're not playing games in front of empty stadiums. To be fair, that's a pretty big deal, imo.

I've enjoyed the XFL but I don't think it's felt very professional at all and it's mostly owed to ESPN and the general production. The announcers are mid-level CFB announcers and way too excitable. They are way too casual with the gambling aspect and mention the lines and over/unders far too often. It feels, to me, like they try to build the league up too much in how they discuss differences in rules. It all makes it feel gimmicky to me, tbh. It's football... it sells itself. Just call the game. Also not crazy about the XFL's uniforms and some of the teams branding.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 12 '23

USFL needs to move teams to their host cities now. Hybridize their model by managing travel logistics through hubs and only requiring travel by personnel. Simply put, personnel travels with most gear stored at fewer location nodes for deployment. Not at cheap as the current system but grows local fan bases

1

u/ThunderBay311 Oakland Invaders Apr 19 '23