Football season is back thanks to the XFL

Football is no longer just a fall sport. The XFL will have its debut game this Saturday at 2 p.m. with Seattle facing DC.

The XFL Basics

The league is backed by WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and has a total of eight teams based around the country.

• St. Louis BattleHawks
• Seattle Dragons
• Dallas Renegades
• Tampa Bay Vipers
• DC Defenders
• Houston Roughnecks
• New York Guardians
• Los Angeles Wildcats

Minicamps began in December for XFL teams. Games will be played in NFL, NCAA, Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball facilities. The regular season will consist of 10 games for each team and a four-team playoff scenario on April 19-20. Then, an XFL Championship will take place on April 26.

Key Differences from the NFL

• Faster pace
• Reduction of time between plays
• An eighth official on the field to spot the ball
• At least one female on officiating crews

• Two timeouts per half
• 10-minute halftime
• No coin tosses
• Home team will choose whether to receive or defend at the start of the game
• Overtime: Each team gets five one-play possessions to score from 5-yard line
  • Will continue playing until someone is eliminated
• No extra point kicks
• Options after a touchdown
  • Go for one point from 2-yard line
  • Attempt two points from 5-yard line
  • Go for three points from 10-yard line
• Replay review modeled after college system

Players in the XFL will bring home a salary on average of $55,000. However, some will make as much as $500,000. The league says 207 of the 416 players on XFL rosters, nearly half the league, had been with an NFL team in the past six months.

Gators in the XFL

Tampa

• Mack Brown, RB
• Antonio Callaway, WR
• DeAndre Goolsby, TE
• Martez Ivey, OL
• CeCe Jefferson, DE

St. Louis

• Matt Jones, RB
• Will Hill, S

DC

• Matt Elam, S

You can catch the XFL’s first matchup of the season on ABC.

Story can also be found at wruf.com for ESPN Gainesville.