A few years ago, the XFL emerged as a savior for many footballers who unfortunately couldn’t make it to the NFL or didn’t get enough chances in the NFL after getting drafted. While WWE mogul Vince McMahon ended up burning $200 million to get the league going, sadly, it never really took off.
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The numbers were already abysmal and then the Covid-19 pandemic struck which proved to be the final nail in the coffin. The league was scrapped and innumerable fans were left disappointed.
Thankfully, Hollywood hunk Dwayne Johnson revived the league by investing $15 million and restarted the proceedings in 2023. However, after a decent start, things are looking dull yet again for the XFL.
XFL Week 2 Attendance Numbers Are Low But Promising
During week 2’s clash between the Vegas Vipers and D.C Defenders, around 6,023 fans witnessed the game in the stadium. While there is no doubt about the fact that the fan engagement has dropped, considering how the conditions were in Las Vegas’ Cashman Field, 6,023 is a fairly decent number.
Punters were falling while trying to make a kick, players were slipping while trying to make a play which suggests that the conditions were quite slippery in the stadium due to the incessant rainfall. This had an impact on the fan engagement, as well on the scoreboard.
In the end, the game proved to be an absolute blowout dominated by the team with a better defense, the D.C Defenders. Smashing the Vipers in their own den, the Defenders ended up winning by 18-6 after a sloppy start to the game. While Vegas’ Pita Taumoepenu had helped his team establish a 6-point lead in the first half, the Defenders came out all guns blazing in the second half and ended up winning the contest without much hassle.
Dwayne Johnson, XFL & The Story of Jersey No. 54
While WWE superstar Dwayne Johnson has established himself as one of the biggest action heroes in the world, football was always his first love. In a recent appearance on Good Morning America, Dwayne had revealed what prompted him to go ahead and revive the XFL.
“I wish I had XFL when I was coming out of the University of Miami. Football was my dream, football was the ticket, football was going to be my way out,” The Rock claimed, adding that on a 53-player roster, he was always number 54.
Dwayne went on to add that every player in the XFL has a chip on his shoulder as all of them, in a way, are number 54. It will be interesting to see how big the league ends up becoming in the near future.
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