And General Electric's NBC certainly could use some new blood, especially younger men, among its audience. The average age of an NBC viewer is now 45, a rise of almost three years in just over a year, according to Nielsen Media Research. Its male audience among men under 50 has fallen by almost 15 per cent. At least initially, NBC is banking on McMahon's bringing his legions of wrestling followers to the network and the new football league. Different Strokes NBC and WWF have very different audience profiles.
Networks usually like to gear the bulk of their programming to a certain audience.
Time Warner's WB network, for example, focuses much of its efforts on attracting teenage girls and young women. Bigger networks try to have a broader reach but still specialise somewhat. But NBC and XFL officials say they don't see the differences between a typical NBC viewer and a follower of McMahon as a problem, but more of an opportunity. Some regular advertisers on sports programming aren't so sure, wondering about the new league's ability to appeal to top brands for one thing. NBC and the WWF stress that the XFL isn't wrestling and won't be scripted or staged.