On February 8, the XFL made its long-awaited return and this time it is embracing sports betting for the upcoming season. Owned by WWE chief executive Vince McMahon, the XFL kicked off back in 2001 before going on hiatus for a while.
However, it has returned just in time to fill the void that remains after the Super Bowl and, hopefully, this time it will live up to all of the hype. According to the WWE CEO and Oliver Luck, the league’s commissioner, the ongoing XFL will this time lay more emphasis on the football instead of the theatrics that they were known to involve in the past.
Embracing Sports Betting
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons why there will be a major focus on sports is due to the league’s bid to consciously appeal to sports bettors in the country. As it turns out, the Super Bowl’s end left a gap that needs to be filled by viable sports betting options and this is precisely what the XFL intends to offer.
Already, the league’s officials have invited sports betting operators to a meeting where they sought to find out the kind of things that they would want to see from the football league. The goal for the league seems to be the integration of sports betting into its operations.
“This is a core business strategy for the XFL. We understand that for a lot of our fans, betting on the games has become as essential to the game experience as the helmet, ball, and jerseys. That’s what we’re gearing up to provide. Our mission and our infrastructure are geared to the sports betting future that is coming fast. There are incredible opportunities,” Jeff Pollak who is the president and CEO of the league said.
Thankfully, things have kicked off quite smoothly for the XFL especially with regards to regulation and licensing. As it stands wagering on the XFL’s games has been approved in over 9 states including New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Iowa, Indiana, West Virginia, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.
Still, the league has plans to extend its reach even to states where sports betting has not yet been legalized. It will do this by offering free-to-play contests through its app.
More Partnerships
Like other sporting leagues in the United States, the XFL understands the value of inking lucrative partnerships especially as it tries to capitalize on the rapidly growing sports betting market. It has signed agreements with several companies that it hopes will help it to monetize its sports betting ambitions. Some of the companies it has partnered with so far include Champion Sports, Genius Sports and, DraftKings. Each of these companies will have a huge role to play in the success of the league.