XFL Press Release: April 20, 2000 - X-ZONE Q&A
       
 


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April 20, 2000

Q & A

Although the XFL is still in its early infancy, I have already discovered there is something about the league that annoys me. Ever since the formation of the XFL was announced in early February, friends, relatives and a countless amount of strangers have felt it necessary to talk to me about it. It’s not that I mind talking about my job; it’s something I’ve gotten used to while working for the World Wrestling Federation. And when I think about it, I realize how lucky I am to have a job that so many other people are interested in. A number of my friends have great careers, but when we’re out on a Saturday night does anyone want to talk about database administration, insurance claim adjustments or life at the computer help desk?

What does bother me though, is that I seem to be answering the same questions from everyone. It feels like I’ve had the same exact conversation 937 times over the past two months! So in case I haven’t spoken to you yet, here are my answers to the questions I’ve been asked an awful lot lately.

Q: IS IT REAL?
A: YES.
This is a question I don’t think would ever come up if it weren’t the World Wrestling Federation behind the XFL. I mean, let’s look at Walt Disney for a minute. Through the success of Mickey Mouse (a fictional mouse who talks) the Walt Disney Co. has gone on to launch a television network, produce some of the highest grossing films in history and set up the mecca of all amusement parks – and none of it’s "real" in the traditional sense. You’re never going to find the Little Mermaid on the beach and you cannot live in the Magic Kingdom. However, the entertainment that Disney has provided over the years and the empire it has built as a result of it are both as "real" as it gets. And part of that empire are two professional sports teams, the Anaheim Angels (Major League Baseball) and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (National Hockey League). Now even though Disney was given the opportunity to purchase these teams because of the success it had in the entertainment industry, I have never heard anyone question the competitiveness of these teams. Disney even made movies about the Ducks and Angels, but no one asked if it was going to start writing scripts for MLB or the NHL to assure a high entertainment value. Disney is an entertainment company that has many businesses on the side, one of which is professional sports. World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. is an entertainment company that has many businesses on the side, one of which is professional sports. 

Then there are the people who refuse to believe that the WWF can ever be involved in anything "legit" and officials are just plain lying when they say the XFL will be "100 percent competitive sport." Something tells me that people who won’t accept the fact that the XFL is "real" are the same people who felt "betrayed" when the WWF moved into the 1990s by calling the product "sports-entertainment."

Q: WHAT DOES THE X STAND FOR?
A: NOTHING
I know many people assume that it stands for "extreme," but that’s not the case. "X" is just a cool letter that has come to identify a demographic and an aggressive lifestyle. Plus, there are a lot of great words with the letter "X" that we can use to describe the XFL – eXciting, eXhilarating, eXplosive eXplicit, etc. And XFL sounds a lot more entertaining than EFL.

Q: CAN I PLAY?
A: MAYBE
I can’t give you a definite answer to this question because I don’t know you. For all my friends and family who have asked me, the answer is "definitely not," but you may be a different story. If you’re over 18 and have a football background (high school, college), I suggest you go fill out our player questionnaire. However, if the last time you tossed around the pigskin was at your grandmother’s house on Thanksgiving or you think you’d make a great linebacker because you’d "drop a mean People’s Elbow on the quarterback," then odds are you should stick to being a fan.

Q: WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET PLAYERS?
A: FROM THE OVERWHELMINGLY TALENTED POOL OF AVAILABLE FOOTBALL PLAYERS NOT WITH THE NFL.
Many people seem to think that finding players is going to be one of the more difficult challenges, but I disagree. There are literally thousands of talented, young football players who were good enough to compete in Division I, II or III, but found that once their eligibility was over, so were their playing days. I can say with confidence that the majority of these players would jump at the opportunity to continue their careers on a professional level. And let’s not forget about all the enormously talented individuals who, for one reason or another, were never given the chance to attend college.

Q: IS THE ROCK GOING TO PLAY?
A: NO.
I’ll admit that The Rock’s involvement would be quite amusing though. Think about it – The Rock Bottom on a halfback. The People’s Champion grabbling a microphone during the coin toss to cut a promo on whatever team he’s about to go up against. But it’s not going to happen. The Superstars who comprise the WWF roster, including The Rock, are extremely content (and quite busy) with their day jobs. What many people don’t realize is that aside from television tapings, the WWF Superstars are on the road all the time for live events (live performances in front of sold-out arenas that aren’t televised) and other public appearances. I don’t think they could physically handle adding to their already exhausting schedule by throwing professional football into the mix. A number of WWF Superstars, including The Rock, have impressive football experience on their resumes and I expect we’ll see them at a few games – as fans. And who knows, maybe if we’re lucky we’ll get at least one, "Finally, The Rock has come back to…" before a coin toss.

Q: WILL YOU SERVE BEER AT THE GAMES?
A: YES.
Okay, so maybe no one has asked me this, but I just wanted to make it perfectly clear in case you had any doubts.

Q: WHY SHOULD I WATCH THIS INSTEAD OF THE NFL?
A: DON’T. WATCH IT IN ADDITION TO THE NFL.
The first thing you have to know about the XFL is that we’re not competing with the NFL in any way. Not for players or your loyalty. The XFL will pick up where the NFL leaves off – the week after the Super Bowl. It’s the time of year that you’re most excited about football and the XFL going to give it to you.

Well I hope I’ve been of some help for you. If there’s still something on your mind, feel free to e-mail me so we can talk about it. My address is Lucas@XFL.com.

Thanks,
Lucas

 

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