Football fans that follow the sport no matter what team is playing must be thrilled with this year’s schedule. The NFL season finished two months ago with the Kansas City Chiefs winning the Super Bowl over the Philadelphia Eagles, although the action hasn’t top thanks to the spring leagues.
The XFL was launched again this year after postponing their 2020 stint due to Covid. It was bought partly by Hollywood actor Dwayne Johnson, and this is their first season under their new owners. The competition has been very interesting, but they aren’t the only secondary league.
The USFL is also giving another opportunity for a lot of players that want to return to the NFL or get there for the first time. They have a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys like Daryl Johnston as president of football operations, so they have a famous name within the organization too.
Similarities between the XFL and the USFL
These leagues obviously have a way reduced number of teams playing compared to the 32-franchise system the NFL has. There is the first thing in common since both the XFL and the USFL have eight teams each.
They are divided into two conferences, North and South. The first two teams will move on to the playoffs. After one postseason matchup it will be time for the Championship Game. Their schedules are something that stays the samebecause the leagues share a 10-game regular season with no bye weeks.
There is a rule change compared to the NFL that these leagues made. In the XFL and the USFL when a fumble goes out of bounds through the opposite end zone it doesn’t turn into a touchback. Teams would retain possession at the spot of the fumble. The other common ground is that both leagues accept two forward passes as long as the first one doesn’t cross the line of scrimmage.
Biggest differences between the XFL and the USFL
The easiest difference to point out is the moment of the year they play in. It’s not a big gap since they will overlap for a few weeks, but the XFL has the advantage of starting earlier than the USFL. With the XFL beginning just one week after the Super Bowl, players will have more time to prepare for an NFL training camp if they get that call.
Another big disparity is the venues they play in. The XFL has actual home games, with all eight teams travelling from the common training center to play in their cities. In the USFL there will only be four stadiums hosting games. Player salaries aren’t that much different, although that is a topic in favor of the USFL compared to the XFL pay scale.
There are some rules that differ. The overtime is a three-possession shootout unlike in the NFL for both. In the USFL the ball is placed in the 2-yard line while the XFL does it at the 5-yard line. Kickoffs in the USFL will be from the 20-yard line in 2023 and the mark in the XFL is the 30-yard line. One other difference is that the USFL still has the PAT as an option after scoring while the XFL only utilizes three types of conversion from the 2, 5, or 10-yard line.
