For love of football.
That is the mission, that is the purpose, and that is the reason to believe in XFL 2.0 launching in February 2020.
Raymond James Stadium will play host to Tampa’s latest professional franchise, the Tampa Bay Vipers, one of the XFL’s eight teams. The football league is divided into two four-team divisions, East and West. The XFL East features the Vipers, DC Defenders, New York Guardians and St. Louis BattleHawks. The Dallas Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, Los Angeles Wildcats, and Seattle Dragons comprise the XFL West. Each XFL team will host five home games and will play a schedule that features a home-and-home series against division rivals and one game against each team in the other division.
Boasting a faster and more efficient game – referred to as “Less Stall, More Ball” – the XFL will stay true to the core essence of America’s beloved sport. Official rules are expected to be released mid-month, but some tweaks include a running play clock, no extra-point kicks after touchdowns, and the potential for two forward passes behind the line of scrimmage. These innovations are evidenced through the recently released game ball, of which each team has its own unique color scheme, and refinements to ensure easier tracking for receivers and a patent-pending grip to allow for a tighter spiral.
In addition to tweaks to the game, the XFL is focused on revolutionizing the fan experience and ensuring affordability for individuals and families. Fans can purchase Vipers season tickets and single-game tickets at XFLVipers.com/tickets. Lower level season tickets start at just $20 per game single game tickets start at $26 each.
Granting followers more access to the front lines and behind the scenes, the game and personalities will take on new dimensions. Part of this access includes the creation of the Football Advisory Network — a digital community that gives football fans who love the sport a platform to share their feedback and have their opinions heard on all aspects of America’s #1 game and the new league. Through participation in surveys, polls, and discussions on a variety of on- and off-the-field topics, members of the F.A.N. community will help design the XFL fan experience and shape the game together.
The innovations of the game come to life with the Vipers’ 10-week regular season beginning on Sunday, February 9 at 2:00 PM ET when the team travels to MetLife Stadium to face the New York Guardians. Tampa Bay’s historic home opener will take place during week three on Saturday, February 22 at Raymond James Stadium when the Vipers host the Houston Roughnecks at 2:00 PM ET.
Every XFL game will air live on national television, including 25 games broadcast on ABC and FOX. In the regular season, four games are scheduled each week, typically with two back-to-back games on both Saturdays and Sundays. The XFL schedule also features two primetime Thursday night games in the final weeks of the regular season.
Following the regular season, the top two teams in each division will square off for the right to play for the league championship on Sunday, April 26 at 3:00 PM ET on ESPN. The East Final is scheduled for Saturday, April 18 (FOX, 3:00 PM ET), and the West Final will be held Sunday, April 19 (ESPN, 3:00 PM ET). The first-place team in each division will host its respective division final.
– Editorial presented by the Tampa Bay Vipers, an advertising partner of PewterReport.com
