Note, this is only a comparison of the new USFL, not the original. The article in the link is not well written, so the info below isn't very complete. For some reason the author chose to refer to ratings sometimes and number of viewers in other places. Trying to compare apples to apples, here is a bit of interesting info from it -

Initial game viewers -

XFL Version 1 - 14 million (pretty amazing)
XFL Version 2 - 3.3 million
AAF - 3.25 million
USFL - 3.1 million (Birmingham - New Jersey)

First Sunday game viewers -

AAF - 640K (assume the first game wasn't on a Sunday)
USFL - 2.15 million (Houston - Michigan)
USFL - 770K (New Orleans - Philadelphia)

Monday night game -
USFL - 268K (Tampa - Pittsburgh)

Ratings for XFL Version 1 started off at 9.5, but only averaged a 2.9 for the season. NBC lost $35M on the only season of XFL Version 1.

AAF viewership dropped to 420K by the 5th game.

Only 26% of the USFL viewers this past weekend were in the 18 to 49 year old age group.

Yahoo Article

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Posted by Fus0623

Lafayette, LA

Member since Jan 2015

90895 posts

Posted on 4/20/22 at 7:07 pm to Ramblin Wreck

I loved XFL version 2 and if not for COVID I think it would’ve been sustainable

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Posted by msutiger

Houston

Member since Jul 2008

70548 posts

Posted on 4/20/22 at 7:10 pm to Ramblin Wreck

(no message)

This post was edited on 3/31/23 at 4:36 pm

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Posted by prostyleoffensetime

Mississippi

Member since Aug 2009

11910 posts

Posted on 4/20/22 at 9:11 pm to Ramblin Wreck

quote:
XFL Version 1 - 14 million (pretty amazing)

That night was LIT

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Posted by CRDNLSCHMCPSN11

Member since Dec 2014

17918 posts

Posted on 4/20/22 at 9:18 pm to Ramblin Wreck

I watched the game on Saturday night. I'm willing to give it a chance.

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Posted by red sox fan 13

Valley Park

Member since Aug 2018

17079 posts

Posted on 4/20/22 at 9:20 pm to prostyleoffensetime

Absolutely electric

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Posted by Horsemeat

Truckin' somewhere in the US

Member since Dec 2014

14345 posts

Posted on 4/20/22 at 9:24 pm to Ramblin Wreck

XFL v1 had Opie and Anthony.
tGOATS before they got old and boring.

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Posted by KiwiHead

Auckland, NZ

Member since Jul 2014

32745 posts

Posted on 4/21/22 at 6:38 am to prostyleoffensetime

I remember there was lots of fanfare for the XFL when it came out 20 years ago.....and they were able to get some good crowds initially.

I especially liked that they did away with the coin toss....at Butkus' direction. But if I remember, there were some really decent crowds for some games in L.A. and Tommy Maddox was QB and the introduction of He Hate Me. Also, I think Rahsaan Salaam tried to resurrect his career in it as well.

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Posted by chalmetteowl

Chalmette

Member since Jan 2008

51538 posts

Posted on 4/21/22 at 9:44 am to prostyleoffensetime

quote:
That night was LIT

If that league didn’t work, no league in the spring will ever work

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Posted by Domeskeller

Astrodome

Member since Jun 2020

9023 posts

Posted on 4/21/22 at 11:43 am to msutiger

The 50 and older crew probably watched for the uniforms and logos.

I love football. But it has its time and its place, and the spring isn’t it for either.

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Posted by MelGibsonPatriotGif