Tag: dany garcia

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s XFL announces TV deal with ABC, ESPN & FX

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia have found a television home for their relaunch of the XFL.

It was announced on Tuesday that the XFL has reached a broadcast rights deal with The Walt Disney Company and ESPN for XFL games to air on ABC, ESPN networks, and FX. The deal begins with the XFL’s return season in 2023 and runs through 2027.

“The XFL today announced a new, global multi-year agreement with The Walt Disney Company and ESPN, which includes exclusive broadcast rights for all gameday content, tentpole events and more, for its upcoming 2023 season through 2027,” a press release said.

“Each season, all 43 games (40 regular season games, two playoffs, one championship) will be featured on a combination of ABC, ESPN networks and FX. Additionally, the agreement includes exclusive content rights across TWDC (The Walt Disney Company) and ESPN’s digital, social and direct-to-consumer outlets such as ESPN+. The XFL is excited to officially announce its 2023 season will kick off on Saturday, February 18.”

Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

Johnson, his ex-wife and business partner Garcia, and RedBird Capital purchased the assets of the XFL in 2020 after Vince McMahon abandoned his plans for the league. 

The XFL, which first went out of business in 2001, was revived by McMahon in 2020, but its return season came to an end after five weeks following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 season aired on ABC, Fox, ESPN, ESPN2, and FS1.

“This is a definitive moment for the XFL and the beginning of an incredible, long-term partnership for the league, building on my longstanding, very successful legacy relationship I’ve had with Disney throughout my career,” Johnson said. “We’re excited to be working with global visionaries that are aligned with the XFL’s values, are true team players and share our ambitious goals to grow the XFL as a global sports and entertainment business. Through the combined power of Disney, ESPN and the XFL, together we will create a new powerhouse on the sports calendar and bring a dynamic game of football to fans everywhere. Time to ball out.”

“Without question, we have long admired Disney’s distinct ability to engage an expansive consumer fanbase across verticals, while also maintaining a deeply authentic, nuanced and heartfelt approach to storytelling much like our own,” Garcia said. “To find a partner that honors our foundation and to be able to root our vision of unwavering passion, accessibility and the future of football with Disney as our home, is a dream come true. We are extraordinarily excited to explore the endless possibilities of this partnership – today is surely just the beginning.”

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s XFL announces collaboration with NFL

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The XFL and NFL are partnering together with a focus on football innovation.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia’s XFL announced today that it is collaborating with the NFL on “select innovation programs to further expand the game of football and create increased opportunities for player development both on and off the field.”

The collaboration is centered on learning and innovation within the area of player health and safety. The XFL will work with the NFL on “forward thinking physical and mental fitness programs for players, the study of playing surfaces and equipment and the sharing of game trends and data.”

Other areas of potential collaboration may include international football development and scouting, as well as officiating, including the testing of different game rules for player protection and enhanced overall play, and of different technologies to enhance officiating.

“We are extremely pleased to collaborate with the NFL in these important areas,” Garcia said. “We are bringing forward an XFL that is progressive and forward-thinking when it comes to innovation, leveraging the newest technology to enhance gameday experience. We have an open field for innovative rules to enhance in-game access. Sharing insights and practices between the XFL and NFL will do a tremendous amount of good for the game of football and support the player ecosystem overall.”

Garcia, who is the chairwoman of the XFL and a co-owner of the league, told ESPN that the partnership isn’t intended to put the XFL in position as a developmental league to the NFL: “That’s a no. We are a spring league. We will play at the highest level in the spring. There is not the anticipation of any player sharing that changes the dynamic. That’s not how we’re executing our vision.”

Johnson, Garcia, and RedBird Capital purchased the assets of the XFL in 2020. The league, which had first gone out of business in 2001, was revived by Vince McMahon in 2020, but its return season came to an end after five weeks following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The XFL will return with a new season in 2023.

On social media, Johnson posted a video commenting on the XFL-NFL partnership:

The Rock announces XFL relaunch for spring 2022

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The next relaunch of the XFL is targeted for 2022.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia released a video today announcing that the XFL will return in spring 2022. The league was purchased by Johnson, Garcia, and RedBird Capital Partners for $15 million this August.

“The XFL represents the idea of ultimate opportunity; it’s a league of soul and culture, anchored by the pursuit of dreams and love for the game, that we couldn’t be more proud to lead,” Garcia and Johnson said in a press release. “Every XFL player, coach, city and fan is our top priority and we couldn’t be more excited to champion them in an electrifying 2022 season. We are the new XFL — hungry, humble and no one will outwork us.”

“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 COO Jeffrey Pollack said. “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.”

After the original version of the league lasted for one season in 2001, Vince McMahon announced in 2018 that the XFL would relaunch under his new Alpha Entertainment group. The revived XFL then kicked off this February. But five weeks into the season, play was stopped in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league suspended operations in April and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Johnson and Garcia’s video announcing the return of the XFL for 2022 is available to watch below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ai5RJDYUzw