World Wrestling Entertainment head Vince McMahon will embark on a second attempt to launch a pro football league with a reboot of 2001's XFL, per PWInsider. McMahon will announce the news at a press conference this afternoon, according to ESPN's Darren Rovell, with an expected start date in 2020, giving the league — independent of the WWE via Alpha Entertainment, a new company formed by McMahon — enough time to build out its infrastructure.
Why it matters: With the NFL stung by this year's national anthem controversy and shrinking television ratings, McMahon clearly believes the time is ripe for an alternate product.
An attorney for the NBA revealed in testimony that the league would require 1% of every bet placed on the league to become a partner in nationally-legalized sports gambling, according to ESPN.
Why it matters: The Supreme Court is currently hearing a case that would determine whether the federal ban on sports betting outside of Nevada violates states' rights. The NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and NCAA have spent millions in legal fees to prevent the expansion of sports gambling, per ESPN, but a flip by the NBA could pave the road to legalization for an industry estimated to be worth hundreds of billions.
