Last month the football world was rocked by the news that the CFL and XFL were exploring opportunities to work together. Although discussions are still in the early stages, rumors of a full-blown merger have already surfaced. With the announcement confirmed by both leagues there’s been a lot of talk online, which have been overwhelmingly positive.
With a lot of new eyes on the CFL from the United States, it seems that the league has seen quite an impact on their social media presence. According to Dan Barnes of the Toronto Sun, the CFL/XFL news generated over 2.8M impressions and 150,000 engagements.
From March 10-12, league posts related to the formalization of talks with XFL ownership garnered more than 2.8 million impressions and 150,000 engagements; a staggering year-over-year increase of 1,000%.
During a 24-hour period from March 10-11, there were more than 650 traditional media pieces published in 22 countries, for an estimated ad value of $10.6 million, according to figures from Meltwater provided to Postmedia by the CFL. And almost 20 per cent of visitors to cfl.ca during that time were U.S.-based.
For the few that are still apprehensive of a partnership, the proof is in the numbers. The CFL is heading towards their return later this year, and the XFL has placed their 2022 season on hold until discussions are complete. If there was any doubt, it seems that there is an appetite for some kind of partnership between the two organizations. Whether it’s scrimmages, mixed-rules or a merger we’re definitely on board to see what they can cook up.
If you had it your way, what would a perfect CFL/XFL partnership look like? Let us know down in the comments below or join the conversation on Discord.