If the XFL's not like the WWF and not the same as the NFL, then what is it?
First off, it's not the Xtreme Football League. Despite early rumors, XFL doesn't stand for anything.
McMahon thinks the remaining differences are quite obvious. "What we do in the WWF is entertainment." He also says, "The NFL has forgotten about the fan."
McMahon rolled out his "respecting the fan" plan with helmet-wearing cameramen on the field, cheap tickets on the 50-yard line and coach/player interviews during the game.
Viewers were also given an all-access pass into the huddles, locker rooms and were able to listen to on-the-field dialogue through small microphones select players wear. Incidentally, those microphones are on a five-second delay to avoid those heat of the moment expletives.
But some critics equate the talent of the players as that of a pee-wee league. The all-access pass into the locker room was compared to a behind the scenes look at high school football games.
The pay scale qualifies as that of a pee-wee league. XFL players claim they're in the game for the love of football...not money.
Players are paid a base salary plus incentives. For instance, quarterbacks are the highest paid players earning $50,000. Most players earn $45,000 with kickers earning $35,000. Each time a team wins a regular-season game, they split a $100,000 bonus pool.
The team who wins The Big Game at the End - the XFL's self-proclaimed Super Bowl - will divvy up a $1 million bonus pool. Look for that championship game Saturday April 21, 2001, on NBC.
Regular season games will also be televised on UPN and TNN. UPN saw a ratings increase during its Saturday afternoon game and expects higher ratings once games begin airing at night begin Sunday February 11.
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