The XFL and Ticketmaster have announced a deal that will make the Live Nation-owned ticketing platform the exclusive vendor for the upstart league for the upcoming 2023 season and beyond. The deal will include ticketing all 43 contests scheduled for the season across the league’s eight markets, including two playoff games and the league championship.
“We are thrilled to team up with the XFL and continue the momentum they are building heading into the start of the 2023 season,” said Clay Luter, Ticketmaster Executive Vice President and Co-Head of Sports. “We are energized by the vision that the new ownership group has for the reimagined XFL and are excited to help bring their vision to life with new innovations and enhanced technology.”
As is often the case, the deal is centered around Ticketmaster’s full deployment of mobile-only ticketing technology, which locks tickets to individual user accounts accessible only through their mobile devices. Both primary market and resale tickets will be available through the Ticketmaster system for the upcoming season, which begins in February and plays through April.
“We are pleased to renew our partnership with Ticketmaster, an industry leader with advanced capabilities and global reach to deliver at the scale required by the XFL,” said Russ Brandon, XFL President. “Collaboration and innovation are two key values for the XFL, and in working with Ticketmaster we will ensure a seamless ticketing experience that will allow our fans to enjoy the XFL’s exciting and dynamic football experience.”
Originally founded as a joint venture between the WWE and NBC back in 2001, the XFL lasted just one season in its first run. It was announced for a return in 2020, but was derailed by the pandemic shortly after play began that year, leading the league to file for bankruptcy protection. It was purchased by a consortium including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia, and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital Partners. It promises a “fan-first, fast-paced global professional football league with innovative rules and enhanced 360 game experience,” for fans still eager to watch football following the close of the NFL and NCAA seasons.
For the 2023 season, the league is slated to have teams in Arlington (under coach Bob Stoops), Houston (Wade Phillips), Las Vegas (Rod Woodson), Orlando (Terrell Buckley), San Antonio (Hines Ward), Seattle (Jim Hazlett), St. Louis (Anthony Becht), and Washington D.C. (Reggie Barlow).