RENEGADES RETURN WITH FULL THROTtLE REBOOT

By Stephen Evans

The XFL is back - again - and once again our region is at the center of the reboot.

To prove the point, the massive Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made an appearance in Arlington this past Saturday afternoon to help kick-off the season. The game between the Arlington Renegades and the Vegas Vipers marked the third time that the league debuted after initially launching more than 20 years ago in February 2001 as a partnership between the WWE and NBC. That lasted one season. Its much heralded comeback happened in 2020 when the WWE’s Vince McMahon rebooted the dormant league after nearly 20 years. But COVID shut it down after just five games, sending it back to the sidelines.

Now the Renegades are back again after seeing their promising 2020 season cut short, and their strong fan base appears to have returned with them, enjoying a nail-biting victory that saw the home team down 14-3 at halftime only to hang on for a 22-20 victory after keeping the Vipers out of the endzone on a potential game-tying two-point play in the game’s waning seconds.

“We have seen robust fan support leading up and through opening weekend, highlighted by an overwhelming turnout for our first official open practice for fans a few weeks ago,” said communications director Matt Mallian. “The team has held multiple community events that have brought fans closer to the team, including taking part in Service Day with Mission Arlington and serving hot meals to families in need. We look forward to being a constant presence in the community and remaining accessible to our fans.”

The league’s third debut comes under the management of Johnson, a global entertainment superstar, and his business partner Dany Garcia. Teams will play a 10-game regular season schedule that will conclude Sunday, April 23. Four teams will then take part in two semifinal games, with the two winners participating in the XFL Championship that will be played on Saturday, May 13.

“The XFL is in great hands with the new ownership group of Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital,” Mallian said. “Ownership is committed to putting players and fans first, while creating opportunities that wouldn’t have been possible without the XFL.”

All XFL teams will practice in Arlington each week before heading to local markets to play their games. Though the league is returning to a number of the same markets that played in 2020, the Renegades enter the 2023 XFL season as the only team with its head coach returning from 2020. Bob Stoops, the former Oklahoma head coach and 2021 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, has filled out his staff with experienced coaches and a roster of highquality players looking to find their way to the NFL.

But the overall experience will be just as much about the fans as it is the players on the field.

“XFL fans can expect an immersive experience that brings them closer to the game with opportunities that are not available in other professional sports leagues,” Mallian said. “Fans will have the chance to interact with our players in the community and on game day. The immersive experience will carry over to the game broadcasts, which will provide viewers unparalleled access to players and coaches.

“Arlington Renegades games at Choctaw Stadium will feature experiences that provide unique access for fans. Game days will be highlighted by the Full Throttle Tailgate, which will consist of live music, face painters, balloon artists, photo booths, corn hole, and more. Select fans will have the