Here We Go Again ... New League To Rival NFL

I was a regular at the XFL games here in Vegas as I supported my Outlaws. My face paint got me on more than one XFL publication, and I even met Stephanie McMahon when she interviewed me. McMahon himself said the XFL would have been a success if all the fans were like the fans in Vegas. Then again, we are pro-sports crazed here because we don't have a pro team, and we sold the games out.

Now it looks like Vegas will get another chance to prove it's football love in another league to compete with the NFL.

Review Journal:

Mark Cuban, the maverick owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, is one of the key figures in an effort to create a new professional football league that would place a team in Las Vegas.

In fact, according to a New York Times article, Cuban might become the owner of the Las Vegas franchise, which could start playing preseason games in August 2008.

The article said Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Mexico City already have been selected for the potential eight-team United Football League, which would play on Friday nights. The UFL's plan is to move into cities where NFL teams do not exist.

We have a huge debate in Vegas about getting a pro team of any sport, and the NFL refuses to come here because of the gambling in spite of the football loyalty here. Many Las Vegans don't want a pro team now because of the NBA All Star fiasco we just experienced. There is great concern that the violence, and other criminal activity, we experienced then would be replicated constantly with a pro franchise.

Sam Boyd Stadium director Daren Libonati said:

"I wouldn't be surprised that Las Vegas would be considered because of the great success with the XFL and with the Outlaws and the kind of numbers they did."

See, I told you we packed the stadium. Every other city except Las Vegas struggled with their XFL teams. Hopefully, things will be different this time around. More and more fans are starting to watch NFL Europa and the Arena league is doing well also. Fans will never look to another league to replace the NFL, but that doesn't mean there can't be success.

The TV deal is what can kill the UFL. Due to the NFL being on virtually every network ... they will have to rely on second rate stations to carry the games. I can envision decent success of the UFL (especially given that owners of pro teams will be involved), but I envision a marriage of the UFL and the NFL in the future. Rather than sending players to Europe to develop without any coverage ... the NFL could enter into an agreement with the UFL to lend players for development. The UFL would be a perfect fit for a "minor league" to the NFL ... potentially with NFL teams sponsoring UFL teams such as we have in MLB.

For me it's the more football, the better. I hope we can get the UFL off the ground so Las Vegas fans can once again show the NFL how stupid they are by refusing to bring a team here.