How much did Vince McMahon invest in XFL?

Vince McMahon is a highly ambitious businessman who has been minting money with WWE for about 40 years now. In all these years, 2001 was probably the one that kept him on the edge of his seat the most.

Not only did McMahon acquire his long-running rival WCW, but he also ventured into a new sport in American Football. The first season of the XFL was launched that year.

XFL was meant to be an alternative to the NFL (National Football League). The ratings for the first season were decent due to fans' curiosity for the new things in the league.

However, it gradually declined, and the league shut down its operations. Though Vince McMahon quietly halted XFL, his passion for the sport was still alive. He later decided to relaunch it with a massive investment.

So, how much did McMahon really invest in relaunching the XFL?

In late 2018, Mr. McMahon sold USD 100 Million worth of WWE stock to fund Alpha Entertainment. For those unaware, the latter is the parent company of XFL and is spearheaded by McMahon himself.

After investing USD 100 Million, Vince McMahon disclosed that he expects further equity financing worth USD 500 Million. He then liquidated 4% of WWE to fund USD 270 Million to Alpha Entertainment in April 2019.

The Rock purchased the XFL from Vince McMahon

As mentioned earlier, Vince McMahon spent a hefty amount rebuilding the XFL. The first season of the new series officially began in 2020. But we all know what happened that year.

COVID-19 struck the world, and the league had to stop its operation within five weeks of its commencement. The company, unfortunately, had to file for bankruptcy in April of that year.

Mr. McMahon moreover listed the company for sale, and an auction was organized for its official deal.

On August 3, a consortium led by Danny Garcia, Gerry Cardinale, and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson purchased the league before the auction. Thus, The Rock became the co-owner of a league founded by his former boss.

The deal closed at USD 15 Million only, and thus Alpha Entertainment had to bear massive losses. The league has been further renewed for a new season that will take place in 2023.

Moreover, the league will cut its ties with sports entertainment and will feature simpler, on-the-spot action like the NFL. On February 21, 2022, the league also announced a partnership with the latter company to experiment with specific rules.