The revamped XFL is furthering its international reach by securing a deal with Canadian broadcaster TSN.
TSN will be covering all the regular-season games plus the play-offs during the 2020 season. Financial terms were not disclosed.
In the United States, the XFL has agreed multi-year rights deals with ESPN and Fox Sports. From the inaugural 2020 season, XFL games will air weekly on broadcast television (ABC and Fox Sports) complemented by games on cable (ESPN, ESPN2, FS1 and FS2).
ABC will broadcast the inaugural game, between the DC Defenders and Seattle Dragons, at Audi Field in Washington, DC, on February 8, at 2pm ET.
ABC and ESPN’s broadcast of XFL games will include gambling graphics and commentary, Front Office Sports has reported. The production elements and the on-air embrace wagering advances significantly beyond the in-game production of other major US sports properties in this area as legalized sports betting in the country continues to grow.
Meanwhile, the ESPN Player platform will stream the start-up league’s games to subscribers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
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Ahead of this weekend’s opening fixtures, the XFL also unveiled an app on the Google Play Store and iTunes. It includes latest news and videos; real-time scores and statistics; up-to-date team and player stats as well as league standings; the opportunity to join the XFL Football Advisory Network; access to the XFL merchandise store; and purchase and management of gameday digital tickets.
Meanwhile, the Houston Roughnecks and Kroger have announced a new partnership, which designates the retail company as the presenting sponsor for the team’s first game, on February 8 against the Los Angeles Wildcats. Commemorative T-shirts will be given to the first 15,000 fans in attendance.
Elsewhere, the St. Louis BattleHawks and fast food retailer McDonald’s have announced a local partnership that will feature BattleHawks-themed promotions and gameday specials at more than 160 McDonald’s locations across St. Louis and the surrounding metro area.
Throughout the 2020 season, the BattleHawks and McDonald’s will provide McDonald’s customers and employees access to special BattleHawks’ promotional offers and ticket packages. The BattleHawks and McDonald’s will also partner on in-venue promotions during home games this season at The Dome at America’s Center.