Do you want to know what’s the most capitalist thing you can do in the United States? Creating your own company to compete in the marketplace with a giant corporation if you’re unsatisfied with that corporation’s product.
On Thursday, WWE founder and chairman Vince McMahon announced that he’s bringing back the XFL, the single-entity professional football league, which was created in 1999 and had a single season in 2001 comprised of eight teams before it ultimately folded.
In an interview with ESPN, McMahon said, “I wanted to do this since the day we stopped the other one. A chance to do it with no partners, strictly funded by me, which would allow me to look in the mirror and say, ‘You were the one who screwed this up,’ or ‘You made this thing a success.'”
The league’s regular season is scheduled to return in 2020. And, for those who are worried about bringing politics into the game or taking a knee during the national anthem, you’re in for a surprise.
“People don’t want social and political issues coming into play when they are trying to be entertained,” McMahon said. “We want someone who wants to take a knee to do their version of that on their personal time.”
President Trump famously went to war with the NFL this past fall after league-wide protests during the national anthem occurred to raise awareness of police brutality and racial inequality. Trump was none too pleased and unleashed his fury with protesting players calling for them to be suspended or fired.
“We are proud of our country. We respect our flag,” Trump said back in September. “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. He is fired. He’s fired!'”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell wouldn’t cave to the president’s demands, and instead let players carry on with their protests.
But now we have the XFL. Vince’s wife, Linda McMahon, is a member of President Trump’s Cabinet, serving as administrator of the Small Business Administration.
Now, of course, one can look at Vince’s relationship with Trump as a motivation for rebooting his league, but that’s short-sighted. As he mentioned above, he’s wanted to do it since it folded after the 2001 inaugural season. This time, however, he’s doing it on his terms.
In addition to making sure players don’t bring politics into the game, he would also be the owner of all the teams.
“I can say, ‘Here are the rules, and as long as you are playing football in the stadium for us, you follow these rules.'”
He also went on to say that any player with a criminal record won’t be allowed in.
“We are evaluating a player based on many things, including the quality of human being they are,” McMahon said. “If you have any sort of criminal record or commit a crime you aren’t playing in this league.”
With Trump supporters who are boycotting the NFL over the national anthem protests, McMahon’s announcement comes at an opportune time. Disenchanted football fans will finally have a professional league to watch and not worry about the constant influx of politics. It’s refreshing. And if you’re a football fan who doesn’t necessarily care about politics, either way, all it means is more football in 2020.
Siraj Hashmi is a commentary video editor and writer for the Washington Examiner.
