XFL signs agreement with ESPN and FOX, releases 2020 TV schedule

By Kevin Kelley -

The XFL has signed multi-year agreements with ESPN and FOX to televise games beginning with the 2020 season, the league announced on Monday.

XFL games will air on broadcast television, ABC and FOX, and will also air on the cable networks ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), and Fox Sports 2 (FS2).

“We are thrilled to partner with ESPN and FOX Sports, two innovative media companies with extensive experience in world-class football production that will undoubtedly help us reimagine football,” said Vince McMahon, XFL Founder & Chairman. “The XFL broadcast schedule provides us with incredible reach and makes it easy for fans to watch our games consistently every weekend.”

Saturday games in Week 1 through Week 8 will be broadcast back-to-back at 2:00pm ET and 5:00pm ET, with two games to follow on Sunday.

In Weeks 9 and 10, FOX will televise one XFL contest on Thursday night, which will leave one contest on Saturday at 2:00pm ET and two contests on Sunday both weeks.

The 2020 XFL Schedule will kick off on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020 with one game at 2:00pm ET on ABC, followed by another contest at 5:00pm ET on FOX.

The XFL Playoffs will be played on Saturday, April 18 (3:00pm ET, FOX) and Sunday, April 19 (3:00pm ET, ESPN). The inaugural XFL Championship is scheduled for Sunday, April 26 at 3:00pm ET on ESPN.

“We welcome the XFL to the FOX Sports Family and are pleased to expand our relationship with Vince McMahon,” said Eric Shanks, FOX Sports CEO & Executive Producer. “Football is in FOX Sports’ DNA and a key component of our programming strategy. Alongside Oliver Luck and his incredible team, we’re excited for the debut of the XFL on FOX Sports.”

“We are thrilled to partner with ESPN and FOX Sports, two innovative media companies with extensive experience in world-class football production that will undoubtedly help us reimagine football,” said Vince McMahon, XFL Founder & Chairman. “The XFL broadcast schedule provides us with incredible reach and makes it easy for fans to watch our games consistently every weekend.”

XFL Schedule

Comment (1)

I thought the AAF had better financing and the rebirth of the XFL, I am not sure why, but it seemed the AAF had lousy financing and tried to change their business model in the middle of the first season, failed and folded. The XFL is trying the same model the AAF tried last year, just be a minor league, not take on the NFL, not be a developmental league, they do have 7 of 8 teams in current NFL cities seems the major difference.

It looks like the XFL is not getting money for the rights, and it does not seem to be the WWE style buy time from the network and do the content and sell ads yourself deal. But ratings means everything, so why not.

Two questions left:
1. Who will play in the league? Will the XFL allow their players to try out for the NFL after the season? Will they try to get younger players than the 20 year old minimum? Will they get recent cuts from the NFL who dream of going back and making the big bucks?
2. How long can they keep going a make payroll? It was shocking the AAF the answer turned out to be like 3 weeks,

I do hope the XFL makes it, Any live football is better than watching the PGA tour on TV.