• Loading stock data...
Saturday, June 14, 2025

Embattled XFL to Return in 2022, New Owners Say

  • Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital bought the league in August.
  • The next iteration of the XFL will be its third.
Embattled XFL to Return in 2022, New Owners Say
Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports

The XFL plans to restart in the spring of 2022, owners Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia announced in a video on Twitter on Oct. 1. 

Johnson and Garcia, along with RedBird Capital, bought the embattled league in late August for $15 million. The next iteration of the XFL will be its third — WWE founder Vince McMahon, in partnership with NBC, first launched the XFL in 2001, but the effort failed a year later. 

McMahon then personally spent over $200 million to relaunch the eight-team league in 2018. The 2020 season kicked off in February, but couldn’t withstand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the league ceased operations in mid-April, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 

Prior to the sale, the XFL had pitched a 12-week “made-for-TV” 2021 season, ESPN reported in June. Garcia previously said the new owners were considering a 2021 “bubble” season in a single city. 

“For the love of football and for the safety of our players and fans, we’ll be back on the field in 2022,” XFL President and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Pollack said in a statement. “The opportunity in front of us, with our new ownership, is simply too big to rush back. We want to do this properly with care and thought for everyone who loves football, especially our players, coaches, partners and fans.”

Johnson, a former professional wrestler and football player-turned-acting mogul, was the world’s highest-paid actor in 2019 – earning $89.4 million – according to Forbes. Garcia, Johnson’s business partner and former wife, is chairwoman and CEO of The Garcia Companies and TGC Management, and the two also founded Seven Bucks Productions.

RedBird founder and managing partner Gerry Cardinale has been involved with a number of high-profile sports endeavors, and the firm says it manages $4 billion in assets. Other sports projects include a stake in the YES Network — which Cardinale helped create — and majority ownership of Toulouse Football Club, a French soccer team. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Tennessee wide receiver Grant Frerking (0) drills during fall practice at Haslam Field in Knoxville, Tenn. on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021.

Ex-Tennessee Football Player, On3 Staffer Accused of Financial Scams

Grant Frerking parted ways with On3 amid “allegations of criminal misconduct.”

From NFL to PGA Tour: How Brian Rolapp Could Reshape Golf

Brian Rolapp is set to become the PGA Tour’s first CEO.
Jun 11, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson (23) celebrates with teammates after defeating the Washington Nationals at Citi Field.

Citi Bankers Break Down the Rise of Sports As an Asset Class

Two sports executives dish on soaring valuations and emerging leagues.
Antonio Brown

Antonio Brown Wanted for Attempted Murder After Shooting at Celebrity Boxing Event

Police said he fought and tried to shoot another man last month.

Featured Today

Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.
Jan 24, 2017; Davidson, NC, USA; The Davidson Wildcats student section cheers during the first half against the Duquesne Dukes at McKillop Court at John M. Belk Arena. Davidson defeated Duquesne 74-60.
June 6, 2025

Every College Wants a Flashy Basketball GM Hire Right Now

The role is more important than ever, and the definition is ever-evolving.
August 31, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; The Goodyear blimp flies over Ohio Stadium during the first half of Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game between the Akron Zips and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
June 6, 2025

Why the Goodyear Blimp Is at Every Major Sports Event

The airship wasn’t built to cover sports. Now it’s a regular presence.
May 27, 2015; Paris, France; Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) knocks the clay off her shoe during her match against Simona Halep (ROU) on day four of the French Open at Roland Garros
June 4, 2025

Roland-Garros’s Iconic Red-Clay Surface Is a Precise Alchemy

The exact science behind maintaining the French Open’s red clay.
FIFA

Saudis Awarded 2034 World Cup in Uncontested Vote

Saudi Arabia was the only option after Australia decided not to bid.
May 20, 2024

Top Sports Business Jobs This Week (May 2024)

Each week, our staff combs through the thousands of job listings from…
The stands at the Solheim Cup
September 13, 2024

LPGA Apologizes for Solheim Cup Fan Bus Debacle That Left Stands Half-Empty

The USA-Europe women’s team golf event teed off Friday morning.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Ted Leonsis unpacks basketball’s global rise, media rights, and portfolio ownership.
October 3, 2022

Real Madrid President Renews Call for Super League

Real Madrid’s president believes that soccer is losing ground.
August 10, 2022

PGA Tour Touts Projected Earnings to Keep Players

The PGA Tour is asking its players to consider their potential futures.
August 10, 2022

Bayern Munich to Make Growth Push in U.S. Market

Bayern Munich is looking to expand its reach in the U.S.
Nintendo-logo
August 3, 2022

Nintendo Profits Underwhelm, Switch Sales Decline

Nintendo failed to meet expectations in the company’s latest earnings report.