Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is section of the crew shopping for XFL

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is teaming up with his ex-wife and a pinnacle sports activities administration corporation to purchase the bankrupt XFL soccer league for $15 million.

Johnson -- a former WWE wrestling famous person who has given that turn out to be one of Hollywood's most bankable motion heroes -- and the companions are buying the property of the XFL from Alpha Entertainment, a non-public business enterprise headquartered with the aid of WWE (WWE) chairman and CEO Vince McMahon.

Alpha filed for financial disaster in April after ending the XFL season early because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was once specifically terrible timing for the XFL, which used to be situated as an NFL choice through WWE (then recognized as WWF) in 2000. The league performed solely one season in 2001 -- in spite of a partnership with co-owner NBC Sports -- and the 2020 season used to be supposed to be its grand return to action.

However, even though the XFL did not rating a monetary or scores landing lower back then, some followers have nevertheless hoped for a new soccer league that may want to project the NFL.

That spurred the choice to launch the 2d generation of the XFL until now this year, presenting eight teams, a shorter play clock and new regulations designed to each pace up the sport and make it safer at a time when the NFL has come beneath hearth for a rash of participant concussions.

Johnson's choice to take section in a crew to purchase the XFL used to be "rooted deeply in two matters - my ardour for the recreation and my want to continually take care of the fans," in accordance to a statement.

He introduced that he appears ahead to "creating something one-of-a-kind for the players, fans, and all people concerned for the love of football."

A financial ruin courtroom nevertheless wishes to approve the deal at a listening to on August 7. If that happens, the buy have to be done’ via the quilt of the month.

Johnson is collaborating with Dany Garcia, a movie and film producer who used to be married to Johnson for extra than 10 years earlier than they divorced in 2007, as nicely as RedBird Capital, an enterprise headquartered by using former Goldman Sachs companion Gerry Cardinale.

Garcia and Johnson co-founded Seven Bucks Productions and she is listed as a producer of a number of of Johnson's pinnacle hits, inclusive of "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and the Jumanji" sequel "The Next Level;" "Rampage," "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw" and the HBO sports activities comedy "Ballers." (HBO, like CNN, is owned’ with the aid of AT&T's Warner Media unit.)

"Sports and leisure are the foundations of the organizations I have built," Garcia stated in the statement. "Melding our information mixed with our dedication to supply interesting and inspiring special content has us all targeted on creating the XFL manufacturer into a multi-media journey that our athletes, companions and followers will proudly include and love."

There was once no point out in the press launch about when the XFL would possibly return to the gridiron. The NFL is presently nevertheless on music to start its subsequent season this fall, regardless of worries about coronavirus.

However, each time the XFL does return, Johnson and Garcia will advantage from working with RedBird, which has extensive journey in the world of sports.

Redbird currently filed for a preliminary public presenting of a so-called clean test company named Red Ball Acquisition in order to increase cash to purchase sports activities property and take them public. This exclusive reason acquisition company is co-chaired by means of Cardinale and Billy Beane, the Oakland A's government who was once performed with the aid of Brad Pitt in the film model of the Michael Lewis e book

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