The XFL was dead and buried when Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, without donning the superhero costume, stepped in to save the day. After getting shut down in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and low fan engagement, the XFL is up and running again and by looking at the initial viewership numbers, we can safely say that the league is here to stay.
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Dwayne’s $15 million investment in the XFL carries a lot of emotional value for tonnes of people who were left high and dry once the league got shut. Moreover, Dwayne, who wanted to make his name in the football world, was never able to rise through the ranks. So this is his chance to relive his dream as well.
XFL viewership numbers aren’t bad at all
As far as the popularity of the XFL is concerned, Dwayne’s involvement has definitely made things better. During week 1, we had 4 games, out of which, 3 were attended by more than 12,000 people each, and the one between St. Louis Battlehawks and San Antonio Brahmas was attended by a whopping 24,000 people.
In addition to this, 1.57 million viewers tuned in to watch the season opener between the Vipers and Renegades on TV. Post that, the Guardians vs Roughnecks was watched by 1.14 million viewers, Battlehawks vs Brahmas had 1.57 million viewers, and 918,000 tuned in to watch the game between Sea Dragons and Defenders.
At the moment. The only Week 2 XFL TV Rating available is Thursday night’s game on FX which averaged 553,000 viewers during the game.
As a comparison point, the NHL on ESPN at the same time averaged 253,000 viewers. College Basketball on FS1 averaged 364,000 viewers.
— Mike Mitchell (@ByMikeMitchell) February 27, 2023
While the viewership numbers of the Saturday and Sunday games are yet to be announced, we do have the numbers for the Thursday’s game and they look quite promising. Around 553,000 viewers watched the Battlehawks vs Sea Dragons game. Moreover, at the same time, as reported by Pro Football writer Mike Mitchell, the NHL on ESPN averaged only 253,000 viewers, while college football on FS1 had 364,000 viewers.
The XFL is more than just a league for Dwayne Johnson
The XFL indeed has a very special place in Dwayne Johnson’s heart. Not long ago, during an appearance on Good Morning America, ‘The Rock’ had claimed that although he gave it his all, he always emerged as No. 54 on the 53 member roster.
“There are 53 men on an NFL roster. I was always number 54 … That mentality of Player 54, the hunger, the drive that that creates, that permeates not only ownership, leadership, but also that’s what the entire league is.”
@therock on why the XFL “is so incredibly meaningful.” pic.twitter.com/050MNzUF6O
— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 20, 2023
“All of our players, who proudly wear a different number and a different last name on the back of their jerseys, they are all player 54. This is why this league is so incredibly meaningful and it goes deeper, it goes much deeper,” Dwayne had claimed.
It will be interesting to see if the ratings continue to stay up as the league progresses further.
Also Read: NFL Draft 2023: Where & When is the Biggest Event of the Offseason Taking Place?
