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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Dany Garcia-led group buys XFL for $15 million, Pac-12 athletes making demands before playing football, and other sports news

Dwayne Johnson has been one of the best entertainers for more than 20 years, but his next task will be to bring stability to a league that has yet to have it.

Dwayne Johnson was joined by his ex-wife Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital in purchasing the XFL.
Dwayne Johnson was joined by his ex-wife Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital in purchasing the XFL.Read moreHiram Garcia

Just when it looked liked the XFL had hit rock bottom, the “People’s Champion” saved the day.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is part of a group that is purchasing the XFL for $15 million. Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital are partnering with Johnson.

A sales auction of the XFL was scheduled to occur today. The group will have full control of the XFL’s future.

“The acquisition of the XFL with my talented partners, Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale, is an investment for me that’s rooted deeply in two things — my passion for the game and my desire to always take care of the fans,” Dwayne Johnson said in a statement. “With pride and gratitude for all that I’ve built with my own two hands, I plan to apply these callouses to the XFL, and look forward to creating something special for the players, fans, and everyone involved for the love of football.”

The ownership team is tasked with making the third time a charm for the XFL. The league ran for one season in 2001 and returned in 2020 before being disbanded due to the pandemic.

The XFL showed signs of success in 2020, with 3.1 million viewers in the opening week. Those numbers quickly went down to about 1.61 million viewers by Week 3 of the season.

Johnson is the CEO of Seven Bucks Productions, a production company that’s created original releases for television, film, emerging technologies, and digital networks. The company’s box office revenues are more than $10 billion. He’s also one of the greatest and most popular wrestlers of all time.

Johnson’s profile fits exactly what the XFL needs. He has been a giant — figuratively and literally — in the entertainment business. If anyone can turn the XFL into a sustainable football brand, it could be Johnson and his partners.

PAC-12 football players threatening to opt out

Many Pac-12 players don’t feel safe about playing this season and voiced their concerns in a letter published by The Players’ Tribune.

It’s a different time in college sports. Players are making more demands because they believe the current NCAA rules are outdated and don’t have the best interest of college athletes.

“#WeAreUnited in our commitment to secure fair treatment for college athletes,” the letter read. “Due to COVID-19 and other serious concerns, we will opt-out of Pac-12 fall camp and game participation unless the following demands are guaranteed in writing by our conference to protect and benefit both scholarship athletes and walk-ons.”

Players focused on four main topics with requirements under each. The four were health and safety protections, protecting all sports, ending racial injustice in college sports and society, and economic freedom and equity.

One of the notable demands was voiding COVID-19 agreements that waive liability. Colleges have required players to sign liability documents upon their return, and all indications are players have done so.

Other notable demands include forming an annual Pac-12 Black College Athlete Summit with guaranteed representation of at least three athletes of our choice from every school, and distributing 50% of each sport’s total conference revenue evenly among athletes in their respective sports.

Meeting these demands will mean a lot of changes in the Pac-12, but players have stood together, using the hashtag #WeAreUnited. One of the most notable players is projected top-five NFL pick and Oregon left tackle Penei Sewell.

If the players’ demands are met, it won’t be a surprise if players from other conferences join together with similar demands.

Kobe Bryant ‘Mamba Mentality’ course at Neumann University

A course on the mamba mentality is coming to Neumann University.

Caleb Mezzy, a professor of sports management, is teaching the course this fall, entitled “Embrace the Mamba Mentality.” The class will “focus on an analysis of the Mamba Mentality and its application beyond the realm of sports.”

It’ll be a three-credit course taught online — 12 students have already registered.

Bryant’s book, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play, detailed how he used the approach to drive himself toward success on and off the court. Mezzy will convey that message to students.