What We Know About The XFL: Number Of Teams, Vince McMahon's WWE Role, Rosters, More

As noted, Vince McMahon officially announced today the formation of his Alpha Entertainment company, which will be funding the return of the XFL. The league will kick off in early 2020, with Vince McMahon saying it would launch in late January or early February.

Alpha Entertainment provided us this fact sheet:

* Football is by far the most popular sport in the U.S., with 70 million fans driving a $14 billion marketplace. A seven-month gap in play along with today's media landscape and new technology provide untapped opportunities to reimagine the way the game is played and presented, adding layers of innovation and interactivity for fans.

* Vince McMahon is personally funding this venture through Alpha Entertainment, a new private entity.

* Vince McMahon will continue in his role as WWE Chairman & CEO.

* The new XFL is scheduled to launch in early 2020.

* The XFL is a single entity structure with plans for eight teams at launch, all of which will be owned by the league.

* The selection of cities will take place over the coming months, and a mix of major and mid-major markets in all regions of the U.S. are possibilities.

* Team identities and logos will be announced following city selection.

* Plans include each team playing a 10-game regular season, with a postseason consisting of two semifinal games followed by a championship game.

* Active rosters will have approximately 40 players.

* The players' salary structure is still in development, but players will be paid to play and paid more to win.

* An advisory board comprised of experts in an array of fields, including football, media, technology and medicine will be built to help guide league management.