Former Indianapolis Colts punter and current sports analyst Pat McAfee had plenty to say about the UFL recently, and none of it was favorable. McAfee’s negative comments, as reported by Pro Football Newsroom’s James Larsen, derisively mocked the league as the “XFL/UXFL” and questioned if it was still around.
Attacking the league on multiple fronts, McAfee gleefully poked fun at the union issues that led to the C.B.A., and stated the league was “bleeding” money. Disparaging the quality of the games, he acknowledged that he doesn’t watch the UFL. Nonetheless, he considers himself an expert.
A Social Media Backlash
While McAfee may have been going for laughs, his words only reflected a lack of knowledge on a subject he seems to know little about. Larsen’s post passionately defended spring football, which led to a further back-and-forth exchange between the two.
Delighting at being at the center of a social media firestorm, McAfee sarcastically called Larsen’s tweet “one of the greatest tweets ever.” Through it all, Larsen remained professional, stating his respect for McAfee and the crew, and that he never “intended to put you all on blast.”
However, Larsen’s post wasn’t about McAfee, but instead about the problems arising from the UFL’s lack of proper marketing/branding. As Larsen pointed out, McAfee works for ESPN (a major broadcasting partner and stakeholder in the UFL. If his negative commentary is indicative of the public’s overall perception of the UFL, the league has a big problem.
When UFL co-owner Mike Repole caught wind of the social media hub bub, he was quick to issue a response.
Repole’s response is a sure sign the new co-owner is determined to correct the league’s marketing and branding problems. But it’s frustrating that after such a promising debut in 2024, the UFL is now in the position of offering mea culpas for the mistakes of the past.
Taking Repole at his word that the problems are being addressed and corrected, the UFL needs to proudly reintroduce itself as the spring football alternative. The UFL has a lot to build on for the future, including a passionate and dedicated fan base.
An Opportunity To Move Forward
Although ratings and attendance declined, the quality of the games and level of competition remained. In 2024, 18 of the 43 total games played during the 2024 season were decided by less than seven points. Multiple games had a lead change in the final minute of play. This year’s League Championship game between the D.C. Defenders and Michigan Panthers exceeded all expectations for a high-scoring, thrilling battle that saw both teams combine for a total of 92 points.
When the league premiered in 2024, it promised to be innovative. The league has largely lived up to that promise. In fact, technological innovations such as optical technology for accuracy in ball spotting have led to similar advances in the NFL.
The UFL is also succeeding as an NFL development hub. Currently, there are more than one dozen former spring football players on NFL rosters. Players who went undrafted or were previously passed over by multiple teams are finding tremendous success in the NFL as a result of the experience gained in spring leagues. These talented athletes would not have gotten that opportunity without the one-on-one dedicated coaching and weekly on-field experience.
The league needs to leverage ESPN’s fantasy football platform. There is no better way to build fan engagement and viewer loyalty than through ongoing fantasy football leagues. As one of the principal partners, it’s only fitting that ESPN step up to provide that option.
1 Comment
by He Hate Me
The USFL and the XFL should have never merged. I would have liked to have seen both leagues align their schedules and maybe have inter league play and possibly a championship between the two leagues.