Getty Image / Sam Hodde
The USFL is set to return for Season 2 on April 15th. They will be lagging behind Dwayne ‘The Rock‘ Johnson’s electric XFL this time around as XFL games began in mid-February.
Ahead of the mid-February launch, the USFL has started running promos on TV. On Monday, a new USFL program hit the airways and a lot of football fans think the USFL is taking shots at The Rock and his XFL ownership.
At one point in the promo, the speaker says “this is the USFL, reborn from the OGs. This isn’t some Hollywood knockoff.”
Given that Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is the face of the XFL as an owner, it’s hard to see how ‘this isn’t some Hollywood knockoff’ isn’t a direct shot at The Rock…
A LOT of people on Twitter began taking shots at the USFL calling itself ‘real football.’
Watching WBC and FOX advertised that “real football is back in four weeks” with the USFL.
Guys, the XFL is on another network RIGHT NOW. We are not idiots.
— Aaron Schatz 🏈 (@ASchatzNFL) March 20, 2023
Something about the USFL’s “real football returns” tagline bothers me
— Braven | Roxy Did Nothing Wrong (@Braven_Kerbs) March 20, 2023
https://twitter.com/xing_xing/status/1637983152080822273
As pointed out on ThirstyForNews, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio was one of the first prominent figures to make the USFL x Hollywood Knockoff connection to The Rock.
On his radio show, he said:
There was something on tonight’s show which was not part of tonight’s RAW but was during a commercial of RAW – the USA was plugging the USFL. They are essentially competition for the XFL, as far as the number two football league. In their commercial, they basically were trying to say “USFL is real football, not Hollywood-created football,” which really was an interesting line. You know, as far as a knock on the XFL being run by a Hollywood actor. At least they are admitting that they are competing.
The XFL, meanwhile, is doing great. In week 5, they brought in 38,310 fans to one game and 35,868 fans to another.
And the highlights are electric:
While the USFL and XFL are in direct competition, it does seem shortsighted to attack Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson with ‘Hollywood knockoff’ lines.
The Rock is one of the most beloved celebrities in the world. And he’s a former football player.
Competition between the two leagues will ultimately be good for football fans. It will force both sides to create better products. But does it have to be petty like this? Probably not.