2024 XFL Season

The 2024 XFL Season is scheduled to be the fifth season of the rebooted XFL and sixth season of the XFL overall and the second under the Sxm Sports ownership. It is planned to begin in mid-February and end in Late April / Early May.

## Background

In 2023, the St Louis Battlehawks beat the San Antonio Tigers in the 2023 XFL Championship 41-39 after Overtime, which was ranked the best game of the 2023 season as well as over 60,000 fans attending the game, which makes it the most attended spring football game in history, breaking the Battlehawks 38,000+ record during the regular season. This was their second championship and their third XFL Championship appearance, they won it in 2020 and beat Dallas Renegades, and in 2021, lost to the Seattle Dragons.

Sxm Sports invested roughly $100 million into the league for the 2023 season, and about $60 million of that amount was used, so $40 million would be used to help the league in future years. They earned about $25 million throughout the 2023 season in tickets and other things. They also earned $20 million from the TV deal.

More than 200 players who played in the 2023 XFL season earned invitations to workout for NFL teams, while 63 of them signed contracts.

### USFL Merger Talks

In September 2023, there was speculation that the USFL and XFL would merge, and on 26th September, both leagues announced their intention to merge. Many thought that they would agree before the 2024 season, but on the 6th October 2023, the XFL confirmed that their 2024 season will go ahead by themselves, so the USFL merger would not take place in 2024.

On the 26th October 2023, there was a leak that 12 teams would take place in the new league, with the list allegedly being DC Defenders, Seattle Dragons, St Louis Battlehawks, Frisco Renegades, San Antonio Tigers, Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars, Pittsburgh Maulers, Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers. However on 4th November 2023, there was another leak that there would only be 10 teams, denying the rumor. It is currently unknown what is happening right now.

On the 6th December 2023, XFL confirmed that the 2024 season will begin on Friday 16th February 2024 with all 8 teams returning, confirming that the XFL and USFL will have their own 2024 seasons. However, on the 8th December 2023, XFL and USFL confirmed that their league champions will play each other a week before the start of 2024 NFL Preseason. Sxm Sports stated: ''It will be a great for both leagues and it will be a great match we believe, it will hopefully bring both leagues closer to each other and our hopeful merging plans in the future can increase after this season.''

## Teams

It is likely most of the 8 teams will stay as they were in 2023. The XFL is planning to move the Vipers to a different area while the Roughnecks replaced the Oilers due to the Gamblers of the USFL planning to move into NRG Stadium. The Vipers could possibly move and Orlando Rage did not return as the Orlando Guardians replaced them. 6 of the 8 teams in the XFL have confirmed to return in 2024. With a couple of team changes, the XFL could also change division alignment because they want all 3 Texas team to be rivals.

The Houston Roughnecks were confirmed to return on May 16th, and will play their games at TDECU Stadium. Orlando's Team was renamed to the Guardians, subsequently bringing back the Guardians from 2020. The Vipers were confirmed to move to Las Vegas too. On 22nd June 2023, The XFL confirmed the realignment into North and South division, with DC Defenders, Seattle Dragons, St Louis Battlehawks and Vegas Vipers being in the North while the Frisco Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, Orlando Guardians and San Antonio Tigers being in the South.

On 4th September, the Houston Roughnecks confirmed that they will be playing their games in 2024 at Rice Stadium, due to TDECU Stadium going through some refurbishments. They said they hope to return to TDECU in 2025 or 2026. On 6th September, Sxm Sports confirmed that the 8 teams in 2024 will be same throughout 2026. So there will be no changes in 2025 or 2026.

## Players

### Draft

The 2024 XFL Draft will take place in June 2023, the Draft order is as follows:

1. Orlando Guardians (1-9)
2. Houston Roughnecks (1-9)
3. Vegas Vipers (3-7)
4. Frisco Renegades (5-5)
5. Seattle Dragon (6-4)
6. DC Defenders (8-2)
7. San Antonio Tigers (8-2)
8. St Louis Battlehawks (8-2)

### Compensation

On 26th June 2023, the XFL confirmed players compensation for 2024. Each Players will get payed $10,000 a week, an increase from 2023. A $2,000 bonus for a team winning a game for each player. There will be ''prize money'' for the season at the end of the season for each players. First in Divisions will get $10,000 bonus, Second will get $8,000 bonus, Third will get $6,000 and Fourth will get $4,000 in each division. In the Play-Offs, The Division winners get an additional $5,000, the runners up get $2,500 bonus. In the Championship, the winners get an $10,000 bonus and the runners up get an $5,000 bonus.

### Partnerships

#### NFL Europe

In 2023, the XFL and NFL Europe signed a 3-year partnership, this will be the second season of the partnership. Both teams confirmed that their leagues will be on the advertising boards for each leagues stadiums. With the XFL promoting NFL Europe in their XFL stadiums and NFL Europe promoting the XFL in their stadiums. On 3rd September 2023, it was confirmed, Sxm Sports put a bid in to buy NFL Europe for the 2024 season onwards. On 20th September, Sxm Sports bought a 60% ownership of NFL Europe from the 2024 season.

## Season Structure

### Preseason

XFL teams will play one preseason game against a team in the other division. All games will be scheduled to be played at The Dome at Americas Center, just like 2023.

### Regular Season

The regular season lasts 10 weeks long, with each team playing 10 games in a season. All teams play their divisional opponents home and away, and play two home games and two away games against teams in the other division. The home and away basis in the inter conference game rotates, so a team who played a team away will play them at home this year, and a team who played a team at home will play away this year.

### Postseason

For the XFL Championship, Sxm Sports addressed the criticism for St Louis playing at home for the Championship: ''We are aware that not many liked the fact St Louis played at home for the championship. However, we confirmed The Dome at America's Center to be the venue before we even announced the teams for 2023. By the time the Battlehawks made it, it was too late to change venue. We are looking at sites for 2024 out of the XFL but also seeing a few XFL stadiums as possible hosts.''

## League Finances

In June 2023, Sxm Sports invested a total of $100 million and has an extra $50 million funds in case.

### Partnerships

#### Ticketmaster

Prior to the 2023 season, the XFL and Ticketmaster signed a 4-year partnership which runs to 2026, and have extended it for a further 2 years in May 2023, so Ticketmaster will be the online ticket seller for XFL games until 2028.

#### Under Armour

Prior to the 2023 season, the XFL and Under Armour signed a 3-year partnership which runs to 2025. This is the second season of its partnership. Under Armour will continue to make the equipment for all 8 XFL Teams.

## Broadcasting

This will be the second year under the Sxm Sports and XFL 4-year agreement for Sxm Sports to carry all 43 games of the XFL season on Sxm Sports, Sxm Sports 2, International Sports, SXM TV and FBTV. The deal in roughly worth $100 million. Sxm Sports confirmed that at least 20 games will be broadcasted by Sxm Sports on 6th July 2023. They confirmed that the other games will be split between their other networks.

Sxm Sports announced that XFL Championships broadcasters through 2026. 2024 season will be broadcasted by International Sports, 2025 will be SXM TV and 2026 will be Sxm Sports. Sxm Sports also announced they are planning a new TV deal that is planning to start from 2027 and could go up to 2034.

## References

1. ↑ 2024 XFL Season: What to know about the upcoming XFL Season
2. ↑ XFL-USFL Merger: Details about 12 proposed teams
3. ↑ XFL-USFL Merger latest news busts 12 team proposed league
4. ↑ Sxm Sports confirm that XFL will continue to run seperately from USFL for 2024, with season starting on 16th February 2024
5. ↑ XFL-USFL Champion Game confirmed by Sxm Sports and FOX Sports for 2024 season
6. ↑ Will the Roughnecks return? Will the Vipers move to Vegas? XFL 2024 News
7. ↑ Will the Rage return in 2024 or will a new Orlando team replace them?
8. ↑ 2024 XFL Season: Could they realign divisions?
9. ↑ Houston Roughnecks return to XFL in 2024.
10. ↑ XFL: Orlando Guardians to return in 2024
11. ↑ Tampa Bay Vipers relocate to Vegas for 2024 season and beyond
12. ↑ Roughnecks to play at Rice Stadium for 2024 season
13. ↑ XFL 2024: Compensation to add more bonuses for 2024
14. ↑ XFL and Ticketmaster sign a new partnership to run to 2028
15. ↑ Under Armour to continue to make XFL equipment for all 8 teams
16. ↑ 2024 XFL Season: Year 2 of Sxm Sports deal with XFL
17. ↑ 2024 XFL Season: Sxm Sports confirms more games to be broadcasted by main Sxm Sports channel
18. ↑ Broadcasting for Championship Games