Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson purchasing the XFL is a cause for excitement. At the least, it is infinitely more interesting than an anonymous hedge fund manager emerging as the new face of the bankrupt spring football league. But Johnson’s off-field star power will mean little if the XFL can’t find better talent. Low-scoring games and sloppy play will continue to repel the masses, regardless of who’s sitting in the league’s executive suite.
Johnson is the head of a group that’s agreed to purchase the XFL for $15 million, according to a news release. His investors include his ex-wife and business partner, Dany Garcia, along with RedBird Capital Partners. The XFL declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy April 13, citing the financial hardships of the coronavirus pandemic.
Vince McMahon’s resuscitation of the XFL was supposed to be different than the league’s flop of an inaugural season, way back in 2001. The WWE chairman says he invested $200 million into the relaunched league, signing former commissioner Oliver Luck to a whopping $35 million contract, and filling the league office with experienced executives.
Forbes