After two previously failed attempts to become football’s spring league, the XFL is back for a third go. This time, the renegade gridiron league is co-owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Danny Garcia, and Redbird Capital. 

The league returned to action in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic put it on the back burner and did not return. With new investment and Johnson as the leading figure behind its return, the XFL could be here to stay.

When does the XFL 2023 season kick-off?

The XFL 2023 season will kick off the weekend of February 18. The NFL’s Super Bowl LVII will be played the previous week on Sunday, February 12.

The XFL isn’t wasting any time and hopes to benefit from football fans wanting to see more action. The football league aims to attract fans saddened by the end of the NFL season.

The NFL has one of the longest offseasons of any sport in North America. The lack of games during the offseason is one reason fans clamor to see hard-hitting gridiron action once the season begins. The addition of a spring league would give fans the chance to see more gridiron in the NFL’s absence.

XFL 2023 betting

If you are looking for some XFL betting tips, then check out this blog from Zcode System written during the league’s 2020 season. Many of the things written for the blog still stand true for this season.

How will the XFL 2023 season work?

XFL teams will play a 10-game regular season. The 10-week season will begin on February 18 and conclude on April 22.

There will be a total of 40 regular-season games and three playoff games. The postseason will feature two divisional matchups and one championship game. The playoffs will take place in late April and early May.

Regular-season games will be played across the weekend with two games on Saturday and two on Sunday. All games will be televised in the United States on FX, ESPN, ESPN 2, and ABC. The networks’ partners around the globe will likely broadcast or stream the spring football league’s games.

Who are the XFL’s teams in 2023?

The eight-team league is split into two divisions of four teams. The South Division will feature three Texas teams and one in Florida. The North Division will be a bit more spread out with teams in Washington, Missouri, Nevada, and Washington D.C.

South Division

• Arlington Renegades
• Houston Roughnecks
• Orlando Guardians
• San Antonio Brahmas

North Division

• DC Defenders
• Seattle Sea Dragons
• St Louis BattleHawks
• Vegas Vipers

XFL Players and Coaches

Some big-name coaches have been announced including Bob Stoops (Arlington), Hines Ward (San Antonio), Wade Phillips (Houston), and Rod Woodson (Vegas).

For a full list of players on XFL team rosters, check out this rundown of the teams from ESPN.

Does football need a spring league?

The 2023 edition of the XFL will be its third try at a spring league. The XFL isn’t the only league to try a spring competition, as the original USFL and current USFL try to fill the football void. In addition, a few years ago, the Alliance of American Football had a disastrous attempt at spring football. The league dissolved in the middle of the season.

The 2020 XFL season showed there is an interest in spring football. TV ratings were promising and the product on the field was good, far better than at the turn of the Millenium when the original XFL started.

The NFL’s interest in making the regular season and playoffs longer is surely a nod to the growing desire to have more gridiron football throughout the year.