The latest XFL player empowerment partnership comes just a few short months before the football league’s grand return on Feb. 18, 2023.
With the XFL now fewer than four months away from its 2023 league kickoff, the league announced a new partnership Wednesday — a player personnel venture with the Indoor Football League. The collaboration will notably grant opportunities to players to transfer between teams in both leagues.
As part of the deal, the leagues will share game footage and arrange joint tryouts for players.
“We are extremely excited to be working with the XFL,” said IFL Commissioner Todd Tryon in an official statement. “This partnership will allow a bigger opportunity for the players of the IFL. Our goal is to create a platform for our players to advance their career on and off the field and this is another step towards that.”
The IFL partnership is not the first such deal the XFL has attempted to strike. In March 2021, the organization was in talks with the Canadian Football League (CFL), but the two parties ultimately went their separate ways four months after announcing they would discuss a pact. Nearly one year later, the XFL announced a partnership with the NFL focused on health and safety, potential rule changes, and new technology that could help enhance officiating. There has been a litany of additional major announcements at the XFL throughout this year related to executive hires, coaches, and brand deals with companies like Ticketmaster, Breakaway Data, and Disney/ESPN.
The Indoor Football League originally kicked off in 2009 and has since expanded to 12 teams. The revitalized XFL will relaunch next year with eight teams, with three located in Texas (Arlington, Houston, San Antonio) and the remaining five set up in Washington DC, Orlando, St. Louis, Las Vegas, and Seattle.
“Our partnership with the IFL is a win across the board,” said Doug Whaley, XFL SVP Player Personnel in a release. “Not only will the League have access to a consistent pool of highly competitive players who are in game shape, but it will also provide the opportunity for some of our players to continue their development and extend their professional careers.”
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