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Entertainment giant Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital Partners have made the United Football League a major player in the sports world. The UFL could be headed towards strong growth with its leagues expansion goals, alongside its mutually beneficial alliance with the NFL to test rules and technology that sets it apart. When you add in its impressive media deals with Fox, which previously owned the USFL, and ESPN, which had the XFL’s media rights, a new era in spring football is ready for kick off.
The Breakdown You Need To Know:
With bigger media deals in place and consistent viewership growth spring football may be around for a while. If we look at NBC’s reporting that the UFL averaged 816,000 viewers per game in its first season across 40 regular-season matches, showing a 30% jump from 2023, clearly this shows the TV audience is there.
If we look at the XFL’s previous season all 43 games of the 2023 season aired across Disney-owned networks including ESPN, ESPN+, FX, and ABC as part of a five-year domestic media rights deal, according to Sports Pro Media. Nearly one-quarter of the XFL’s income comes from ESPN, which pays the league $20 million per season.
Johnson, among other partners like RedBird Capital Partners and Fox are leading the UFL’s ambitious growth strategy. “From day one, our mission has been to expand the game of football and be a league of opportunity, culture and state-of-the-art,” Johnson explained in a statement, as he shared his vision for the league’s future.
Partnership Playbook:
Texas and the Southeast remain the current focus areas. CultureBanx noted the UFL has built strategic collaborations with major brands to improve its market presence:
- Westgate Resorts as Official Resort Partner
- Progressive Insurance as League Auto Insurance Partner
- Under Armor as Official Uniform Partner
- Gatorade as Sideline Hydration Partner
Johnson teamed up with Garcia and investment company RedBird Capital Partners to buy the XFL for $15 million in 2020, ESPN reported, hours before the bankrupt league was set to be auctioned. Then the USFL and XFL merged at the beginning of 2024, creating the UFL.
Meaning the newly minted UFL’s ownership structure combines entertainment expertise with strategic capital management, creating a unique position in sports. “This new venture is possible because of a shared visionary mindset, a profound passion for the game and first-hand experience living and creating the opportunities that football makes possible,” stated Garcia to The New York Times.
What’s Next:
Eight UFL teams now play in Texas and the U.S. Southeast, while league officials actively review proposals to enter new markets. Also, the UFL started accepting proposals from potential markets for its expansion in November 2024.
The league aims to add two teams in 2026 and they will join the USFL and XFL conferences. Through the UFL’s careful growth strategy and complete media coverage through Fox and ESPN platforms, the stage is set for its biggest season when it kicks off on March 28.