Set to debut next February, the highly anticipated Alliance of American Football (AAF) – a reboot of the XFL – announced on “CBS This Morning: Saturday” that college football Hall of Famer Steve Spurrier set to coach in the first game, which will be hosted by Orlando.
AAF co-founder Charlie Ebersol, former NFL wide receiver Hines Ward, who is serving as an executive of player relations, and Spurrier himself joined “CBS This Morning: Saturday” to discuss the new league, which will kick off just one week after next year’s Super Bowl:
What was it that drew you back into football? 🏈
"The new rules I really liked. Two and a half hour games, 30 seconds in between plays and the fans want to see that… In life, we all need a challenge." — @SteveSpurrierUF https://t.co/ifaKuSs0Ix pic.twitter.com/67XYgV0h8h
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) April 7, 2018
CBSSports.com reported:
The games will be available to stream on a free app, on CBS and CBS Sports Network. Teams in eight different cities will play a 10-game season.
CBS will air the league’s debut game on Feb. 9, 2019, one week after Super Bowl LIII on CBS. The network will also carry the Alliance of American Football’s championship game on the final weekend of April 2019. One regular-season Alliance game will air exclusively on CBS Sports Network each week as well.
“We brought in the best players and the best coaches to be at the top of the organization. We wanted to give fans not just an opportunity to see great football but to see what would happen if you brought the players and the league together,” Ebersol said.
The younger Ebersol, who directed ESPN’s “30 for 30” documentary on the XFL, brought in former NFL general manager Bill Polian to help oversee the league. Former Steelers safety Troy Polamalu will oversee the player side and former USC standout and executive J.K. McKay will oversee the team side. Advisors include Ward and Justin Tuck, and Dick Ebersol.
The league will have eight teams in eight cities. Rosters will have 50 players each and will be built primarily through a regionally-based draft that will be held this fall. To differentiate the Alliance of American Football from its competitors, there will be no TV timeouts and 60 percent fewer commercials. Other differences will include no kickoffs and instead of onside kicks, the trailing team will receive the ball on their own 35-yard line facing fourth down and 10. There will also be a 30-second play clock and mandatory two-point conversion attempts after touchdowns.
Read more here, and more about Steve Spurrier here.
