Key Points:
- Expanding Opportunities: The UFL aims to extend beyond competition, focusing on unlocking dreams and expanding opportunities for athletes, with an emphasis on minority and female inclusion.
- Unified Vision: The merger of the XFL and USFL into the UFL highlights the significance of strong ownership and national television exposure for the league’s growth and success.
- Talent Development: The UFL is committed to developing talent through a seasoned coaching staff, addressing naysayers by emphasizing the league’s potential to nurture and elevate athletes.
In a recent episode of “Next Up with Adam Breneman,” Russ Brandon, President of the United Football League (UFL) talks about why the merger between the XFL and USFL happened, the future of the United Football League, naysayers and more.
Dreams and Opportunities
Russ Brandon talks about the UFL’s mission to extend beyond competition, but serving as a bridge for players, coaches and all involved.
“We talked about the X was the intersection of dreams and opportunities. And now the U, the United Football League, unlocks and unleashes dreams for athletes and individuals within our organizations. With performance science and athletic training and officiating, we’re here to assist the underserved populations in our game, have more opportunities for minority candidates, for females in our game. And we did a lot of that with the XFL. The USFL did that under Darryl Johnson’s guidance last year. Now we’re one. And we’re very excited about what the future holds.”
Power of Unity and Ownership
Talking about the journey and challenges faced by the XFL and USFL, Brandon emphasizes the merger’s strategic advantages and the critical role of strong ownership and media partnerships.
“We had success at the XFL, and quite candidly, they had success at the XFL when they launched in 2020, and then the pandemic hit. And that was why the XFL went away at that time. The USFL had two good years under their belt as well. We came out, had an outstanding year last year. And then you say to yourself, it makes more sense for us all to be together. We have the power of ownership. I always said, and you know, being a major division one athlete, it starts at the top. And the ownership that we have now with Danny Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, Fox, Red Bird Capital, We have 43 of our game windows are on ABC, ESPN, Fox. National TV opportunities. And that’s what this league needs. It needs strong ownership, strong distribution.”
Developing Talent and Nay Sayers
Brandon talks about the people who think Spring Football wont work and why he feels they have the right people in place to develop talent.
“And they don’t think you can do it. So you’re like, you know what? We’re going to do it. We have a great front office and great people around it. We have really good head coaches from Wade Phillips to Bob Stoops to Mike Nolan to John DeFilippo to Skip Holtz. We have some really good people that are there to develop athletes.
You know better than anyone. I was talking to someone earlier today. One of the great players in the NFL Khalil Mack. He had one offer, UB, University of Buffalo. And how does that happen? Because he develops. Everyone develops differently. They’re in situations that are different. So it’s a great opportunity for us to continue to build this league.”
Celebrating Victories and Building Teams
His philosophy on leadership and team-building reflects a broader vision for the UFL, emphasizing the importance of unity, support, and direction.
“It’s really simple for me. It always has been celebrate your people’s victories and stand by them during difficult times. To me, it’s simple. It’s just treat people as you want, but also clarity, direction. But it’s about building a team. To me, the greatest word in the dictionary is team. There’s nothing better than it. I’ve been fortunate to have some really great people, great mentors in this business to lay the path for me.”
The conversation with Russ Brandon on “Next Up with Adam Breneman” took place during Super Bowl weekend. Fans interested in the full conversation can listen on the “Next Up with Adam Breneman” podcast, available on major streaming platforms.
