AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
XFL co-owner Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson announced the names of the teams for the football league’s upcoming 2023 season on Monday.
Dwayne Johnson @Rock
New @XFL2023
ARL @XFLRenegades
DC @XFLDefenders
HOO @XFLRoughnecks
ENT @XFLGuardians
HER @XFLBrahmas
SEA @XFLSeaDragons
STL @XFLBattlehawks
VEG @XFLVipersYou bring the dream.
We bring the opportunity 🏈~ DJ
#54
OwnerReported by @DanyGarciaCo
XFL President pic.twitter.com/u8mTLW37VY
The league is expected to include three direct carryovers from the 2020 season — the DC Defenders, Houston Roughnecks and St. Louis Battlehawks — as well as a slight name change for the Seattle Dragons, which added Sea to their name.
Elsewhere, the Guardians moved from New York to Orlando, the Vipers moved to Las Vegas from Tampa Bay and the Renegades made a short stint from Dallas to Arlington.
The only entirely new franchise is the San Antonio Brahmas, replacing the Los Angeles Wildcats.
Here is an overview of the team logos:
Front Office Sports @FOS
The XFL has unveiled its 8 new official team identities:
▪️ Arlington Renegades
▪️ DC Defenders
▪️ Houston Roughnecks
▪️ Orlando Guardians
▪️ San Antonio Brahmas
▪️ Seattle Sea Dragons
▪️ St. Louis Battlehawks
▪️ Vegas Vipers pic.twitter.com/ETXQvUbrsx
The XFL completed half of its 2020 regular season schedule before the remainder of the campaign was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In August 2020, five months after the league closed, a group that included Johnson, his business partner Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital Partners bought the XFL out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy for $15 million.
The league was owned by former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon during its 2001 and 2020 iterations.
In May, the XFL announcement its 2023 season would begin Feb. 18, six days after the NFL Super Bowl, with all games aired on the ESPN family of networks.
Johnson attended the league’s HBCU showcase at Jackson State in July, saying the XFL is looking for potential hidden gems that may not attract the immediate attention of NFL teams.
“Looking at places that are usually overlooked and even ones that are looked at, for example, like a Jackson state when scouts come here, and they look, and they see, and they assess players,” Johnson said. told reporters. “Well, now we come in and we want to assess the players, but maybe there’s an opportunity here. Let’s explore, dig deeper.”
While none of the spring football leagues over the years have emerged as a real alternative to the NFL, leagues like the XFL can be a terrific testing ground for fringe players.
Dozens of players who participated in the abbreviated 2020 XFL season went on to sign contracts in the NFL or CFL after the league shut down.
XFL President Russ Brandon previously
said the league was aiming for a mid-November draft, although an official date has yet to be announced following the team’s name revelation.