Report: Vince McMahon Considered Selling the XFL Before League Revival

Vince McMahon announced back in January 2018 that the XFL, the defunct football league from 2001, would be making its return in 2020 with eight new franchises spread out across the country.

However, before McMahon opted to sell $100 million worth of WWE stock to fund the XFL's parent company Alpha Entertainment, the WWE CEO reportedly considered selling the XFL name and copyright.

Sports business reporter Darren Rovell took to Twitter on Tuesday and reported on the ongoing lawsuit between Robert Vanech and the Alliance of American Football league and its founder Charlie Ebersol. Rovell reported that Vanech was claiming 50 percent ownership of the league as he believed he came up with the original idea to launch a new football league. He cited lawsuit documents that stated prior to launching the AAF, league officials met with McMahon in order to purchase the XFL's assets and relaunch the league.

As history would show, McMahon declined the offer and opted to revive the league on his own.

"Charlie Ebersol and the new football league, the AAF, have been sued by Robert Vanech, who said it was his idea to come up with league and was entitled to 50% ownership," Rovell wrote in a series of tweets. "Vanech says agreement with Ebersol was ignored, seeks $$ and wants his name part of its history. In lawsuit against AAF and Charlie Ebersol, Robert Vanech -- who believed he had a "handshake agreement with Ebersol" said much of what he founded about the league was later credited to partner Bill Polian. Exhibit in lawsuit shows that AAF originally planned to use XFL name & purchase assets from WWE & NBC for $50M. AAF met with Vince McMahon and he decided to start league on his own."

In June 2018 the league announced Oliver Luck would serve as the XFL league commissioner and CEO. Then in December the eight teams for the inaugural 2020 season were announced — Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Seattle, Tampa Bay and Washington D.C.

The original XFL was launched in 2001 with a 50-50 partnership between the WWF and NBC. But due to a continuous drop in ratings week after week, NBC pulled out of its broadcast deal after the first season was over. The two companies, which put in a combined $100 initial investment, wound up losing $35 million as a result of the league's financial failings.

The Los Angeles Xtreme won the league's only championship game, dubbed the "Million Dollar Game" in a 38-6 blowout win over the San Francisco Demons in April 2001.