The XFL which is in the midst of a spring reboot as a professional football league, has made it clear that they will not be following the footsteps of the National Football League (NFL). They have gone to announce a number of revisions to traditional NFL rules.
Oliver Luck, the commissioner of the XFL said in an interview that the league’s teams will be able to sign college players, even freshmen and sophomores.
According to the Luck, the league is exploring the possibility of signing college players who want to forego college eligibility to earn and train in a professional football league.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) explicitly bars high school players from playing in the league, requiring one year in college before entering the draft. Currently, superstar-level high school players enter a college for just one year to play, then enter the draft after the season.
The NFL on the other hand, stipulates that rookies are eligible to play in the league three years after high school.
The XFL still has a long way to go before attracting high-level college players. First it must prove itself sustainable and financially strong enough to make offers that would be enough to entice players to play in the league and offset concerns regarding injuries.
Luck has indicated the XFL’s willingness to work with college players in the past. In January, Luck stated in an interview that it was definitely possible for the league to take a case-by-case approach in dealing with prospective players who are unable to enter the NFL due to the NFL’s restrictions—providing a window where a high-level player is able to play professionally, but unable to do so.
During the time of the interview, the XFL’s focus was on scouting, adding players with college and even NFL experience.
Luck stated that his position regarding college players is simply the product of the XFL’s drive to seek out better players for the league. Throughout the fall and midway into winter, the league has conducted several drafts for players to enter.
Last weekend marked the initial slate of XFL matches—all eight teams played over two days. The inaugural numbers looked good for the XFL. The games were played in Dallas, Washington D.C., Houston and New York. Fan attendance was consistent in all four cities, with crowds of 17,000-18,000 fans in the stands.
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