As the XFL prepares for its return in 2023, the league unveiled a new logo and slogan, reopened its apparel and merch shop, and announced a special emphasis on inclusion and community.
The XFL took one step closer to its return on Wednesday, revealing its new logo, brand identity, and vision. It also sports a new slogan: “Tomorrow’s League Today.”
The league says the ‘X’ in XFL now represents the intersection of opportunity, where everything from sports, storytelling, players, fans, and partners all come together. The league aims to elevate the stories and the communities that give life to the game of football ahead of the long-awaited XFL start date: Feb. 18, 2023.
The brand values that the league is using to guide its mission are:
- Co-Creation: Build a league of culture: a place where players, fans, partners, employees, and communities interact with each other to build the most dynamic possible future for the game of football.
- Inclusivity: Define and embrace what it means to exist at the intersection of opportunities, connect players to fans, and change the way we experience and engage with the game.
- Accessibility: Create a new standard for accessibility by experimenting with different forms of interactivity to connect the fans and players in a way unlike ever done before, creating a deeply immersed and personal fanbase.
- Innovation: Leverage new ideas, technology, and approaches to community-building to unlock new opportunities to win together.
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“We’re going to take the best of this sport and amplify it ten times so that this is an experience that is immersive,” said Dany Garcia, who is the chairwoman of the XFL and one of the league’s three owners, in an interview with Boardroom. “I think any brand that seeks to be in massive partnership with fans, athletes, and media partners needs to live in these principles.”
Back in 2020, Garcia, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital purchased the league for $15 million. Since then, the XFL has made strides to return to the field by hiring nine executives that include former NFL and NBA execs and ESPN alumni.
“Since acquiring the league in 2020 with Dany and Dwayne, we have envisioned the XFL as a platform of opportunity that converges the worlds of sports and entertainment,” Cardinale said in a statement. “We are building the XFL so that we can bring new possibilities to the future of football – this will give our players new opportunities for turning pro, our partners new platforms to expand and enhance their brands, and our fans opportunities to engage with the sport of football and our players in new and innovative ways.”
The league had also been in talks to partner with the Canadian Football League (CFL) last year, but talks ended in June without anything official materializing. But in February, the league found another partner: the NFL.
Shortly after Johnson gave Super Bowl LVI an electrifying intro, the XFL announced it would collaborate with the National Football League on select innovation programs to expand the game of football and increase opportunities for player development both on and off the field. The partnership’s areas of focus are health and safety, international football development and officiating, and rules innovation.
“We are very confident as we approach the relationship with the NFL,” said XFL President Russ Brandon in an interview. “One of the key areas is to continue to assist and spotlight the underserved populations of all verticals of football operations. Whether it be coaching, officiating, performance science or player personnel and really working in lockstep with the NFL in enhancing the NFL.”
As Dwayne Johnson added on the occasion:
“This is a new era of the XFL. We have a clear vision and want to continue to push the boundaries of sport and entertainment, while – most importantly – unlocking the dreams of all the talented and hungry football players out there. We believe the XFL has the ability to extend beyond just football, and we’re eager to bring everyone along with us on this journey.”
“For us, this is more than just a new pro football logo; this is a new era of the XFL. You can already begin to feel the energy and mana building behind our brand, and it has been amazing to feel the incredible support from fans, players, coaches and media, that we continue to be blessed with. Here’s the bottom line of what our new XFL logo stands for: The X represents the intersection of dreams and opportunity. So, to our hungry XFL players, coaches and fans – you bring the dreams, and we’ll bring the opportunity.”
Alongside the new logo and brand identity, the league is also reopening its XFL Shop, where it will sell a collection of XFL-branded hats, tees, hoodies, and other apparel and merch items. XFL representatives have also attended over 40 collegiate pro days, college postseason games, and various combines recruiting players as the league prepares for its much-anticipated return.
The XFL officially kicks off in February of 2023. But its new era begins today.
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