XFL Announces Broadcast Deal With Disney, FOX

By Daniel Yanofsky

The XFL will be making its re-debut under two major networks. A press release was sent out stating that FOX Sports and Disney will be the main distributors of the upcoming season. Games will be broadcasted on ABC, FOX, ESPN, ESPN 2 and FS1.

"We look forward to showcasing the XFL on ESPN and ABC, including the kickoff game and championship during the league's inaugural season," said ESPN Executive Vice President of Programming and Scheduling Burke Magnus.

"Vince McMahon and Oliver Luck are two of the sports industry's most creative and experienced leaders, and they have exciting plans for this league. We believe in their vision for the XFL, which will be a great addition to our year-round commitment to football."

"We welcome the XFL to the FOX Sports Family and are pleased to expand our relationship with Vince McMahon," said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports CEO & Executive Producer. "Football is in FOX Sports' DNA and a key component of our programming strategy. Alongside Oliver Luck and his incredible team, we're excited for the debut of the XFL on FOX Sports."

The XFL's first season since 2001 will start on February 8, 2020, six days after Super Bowl LIV. Two games will be broadcasted that day, the first one being on ABC and the night game on FOX. The playoffs will be in April, with FOX hosting a game on the 18th and ESPN hosting one on the 19th. The XFL Championship game is scheduled for April 26 at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN. NBC was the home of the XFL in its original incarnation, with UPN and TNN as weekend partners.

Both ESPN and FOX will be handling the marketing aspect of the league. There are eight total teams to start the XFL off, from California to New York. In addition to games, programming related to the XFL on each station will be announced in the future.

"We are thrilled to partner with ESPN and FOX Sports, two innovative media companies with extensive experience in world-class football production that will undoubtedly help us reimagine football," stated XFL Founder and Chairman Vince McMahon. "The XFL broadcast schedule provides us with incredible reach and makes it easy for fans to watch our games consistently every weekend."

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