Flashback: XFL's Fast-Mouth Football

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The XFL's business plan isn't as stupid as its product, however. By splitting the anticipated $100 million in start-up costs over the first two years with NBC, McMahon isn't risking nearly as much as the USFL did. By owning all the teams and offering all the players the same $45,000 one-year contract with a one-year option (quarterbacks get $50,000; kickers, $35,000), he can control his costs; the entire XFL payroll is less than half that of a single NFL team. And the league needs only to deliver a mediocre 4.5 Nielsen rating to make its 10-week 8 p.m. Saturday time slot on nbc a success, as long as it attracts the overvalued young male demographic. Networks are increasingly willing to play cable station with their off-peak hours.

And even if NBC is just doing this because it is still bitter about losing the NFL to Fox, it is still a cheap drunk. "If we had signed the deal to stay with the AFC, we would have lost $150 million to $160 million a year," says NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol, who made McMahon an offer just hours after the WWF announced the league's launch. "So worst-case scenario to us would be a third of what we would have lost."

McMahon has a carny's flair for attracting attention, but it was guys like Ryan Clement, a former University of Miami quarterback who got in trouble for, as he puts it, "having too much personality," who took the field for Saturday's opener for the Vegas Outlaws. He considers this second chance a gift--one that he plans to exploit to the fullest. "Every [night]club here has been letting us in for free," Clement says. "And as soon as we're on NBC Saturday night, the groupies will be here."

"Don't tell the magazine that," interjects kicker Paul McCallum.

Replies Clement: "None of our fans read TIME. They read Harley-Davidson magazine."

Clement had a good game, as the Outlaws creamed N.Y./N.J. 19-0 in Saturday's opener. But it wasn't pretty. The players needed stickum, and the TV production was clumsy. Worst of all, the XFL didn't have any off-field story to tell. As for miking the players, it quickly became clear why no one has ever tried this before. Listening to running back Rod Smart try to explain why the name on the back of his jersey read HE HATE ME made one long for a Bush campaign speech.

Even if the XFL fails, it will undoubtedly do a favor for pro sports. Given that the Super Bowl halftime show got better ratings than the game itself, the NFL will be thrilled to have a new league do some experimenting for it. "If they're smart, they'll steal a lot of it," says Linda McMahon, Vince's wife and business partner. "We're putting a brand-new product out. If a guy gets his tooth knocked out, you're going to see it." Those two must have had some first date.

The XFL was so concerned about the mediocrity on the field that all scrimmages were held under secret conditions--no fans, no press. The only ones invited were the Las Vegas odds makers, lured by the prospect that on-air commentator and sometime Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura would discuss betting lines to goose the action. Still, says John Avello, director of race and sports book for Bally's and Paris hotels: "The amount of money we'll make on this is minimal. Probably like a hockey game. Nah, better than hockey. Like a good, solid baseball game. After all, it is football."