The XFL and USFL Merger Brings Much Needed Legitimacy to Spring Football

The consolidation of the two upstart leagues brings much needed merit to a developmental league for the nations favorite sport

Football is a game that is beloved by the American public. It is the most watched live sports league in the US, accounting for 65% of viewers nationally (the NBA is a distant second with 51%). At the high school level, there are over 16,000 teams and one million players of the sport. And yet despite this, the NFL for decades has been the only professional league in town. This means that if a player has advanced through the high school and college ranks, their only option to play professionally is in the NFL. While other leagues like the Canadian Football League and Arena Football League have long been present, the rules are different and not quite the same as the style of game found in the NFL.

Spring football leagues have aimed to change this with their introduction a few years ago. This past year, it seemed that there was a model put forth by the XFL (in its third incarnation) and the USFL (in its second) that would be a secondary option for players that weren’t able to make an NFL roster. Those two leagues have now merged, and will likely form the new National Spring Football League (NSFL). This new league streamlines spring football, expands geographical reach, and…