Vince McMahon officially announces plans to resurrect XFL

A day almost everyone thought would never come is upon us, as WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon announced Thursday he will be bringing back the XFL.

The league, which folded after one season in 2001, will return for the 2020 season with the schedule kicking off in late January or early February.

As was the case with the previous incarnation of the XFL, there will be eight teams in the league with 40-man rosters playing a 10-game schedule. The playoff structure will be the top four teams in the league facing off in the semifinals with the winners meeting for the championship.

During his press conference, McMahon failed to delve too deeply into details about the new league. There have been no discussions as to what cities will hold franchises, but McMahon admitted he wants to play the games in existing football stadiums.

The original XFL was a joint venture between the WWE and NBC, with many of the broadcasters for the games doubling as WWE personalities. This version will feature no such thing, as McMahon was clear there would be no talent crossover between the two promotions, and he is not currently seeking to partner with any major broadcast networks.

McMahon stressed there will be numerous differences between the XFL and the NFL but didn't specify as to what those would be. The 72-year-old did admit he wants game times much closer to two hours in length compared to the average NFL contest which is at the three-hour mark.

In terms of players to fill the rosters, McMahon did say the "quality of human being is as important as (the quality of) player" and that players without a criminal past would be the ones targeted. He specifically mentioned former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow when discussing the type of player that would be welcomed in the league.

McMahon will continue in his role as WWE CEO and Chairman and will not hold an outwardly public position in the new XFL. That is a stark contrast from the previous incarnation, which saw the famous executive front and center at many contests.