We’re talking XFL + USFL talent wars, USFL week 5, the XFL’s 2023 timeline and more on your (hopefully) number 1 stop for XFL, USFL and CFL news. We welcome former XFL Director of Player Personnel Eric Galko and current Director of Football Operations and Player Personnel for the Shrine Bowl onto the show as well as Run The Sims creator Justin Freeman and USFL historian Paul Reeths to weigh in on the USFL season thus far, what they are doing right and what changes could be made to increase fan engagement and interest moving forward. With the USFL and Fan Controlled Football already in season and the XFL close behind, is there enough quality non-NFL football talent to satisfy all three leagues? What can the USFL do to retain their talent and what can the XFL do to procure it before it’s too late?

The USFL is almost midway through their inaugural 2022 season but have they hit a wall when it comes to quality talent to enter the league? With reduced roster sizes because of cost-cutting measures, the USFL has been forced to have special teams players do double duty and some of the teams are playing without a backup quarterback on the roster. We bring on former XFL Director of Player Personnel Eric Galko, current Director of Football Operations and Player Personnel for the Shrine Bowl to give his 2 cents on the USFL’s place in the spring football landscape and to talk about their quality of play. With the XFL looming on the horizon, are there enough quality non-NFL players to fill BOTH an XFL and USFL roster in 2023? We discuss. Plus Eric Galko talks the XFL’s return to the field in 2023 and what steps they should take from a player scouting and personnel point of view to compete with the USFL when both alt-football leagues are on the field in 2023.

Justin Freeman, founder of Run The Sims to talk the USFL’s accessibility for fantasy players and single-sports game bettors who want to follow and play along with the league. Is the USFL’s lack of information a hindrance to USFL fantasy play, should timely and accurate roster reporters be a requirement for the new spring football league and is there more they could be doing to cultivate fan engagement between USFL games? Justin weighs in and gives tangible ways the USFL could work to improve even during their 2022 season.

Finally, long time friend of the show USFL historian Paul Reeths stops by to weigh in on the inaugural 2022 USFL season thus far. Is the USFL hitting his expectations in terms of quality of play on the field? What are the negative effects of the USFL’s short-term cost cutting measures on their longterm growth and what could and should be done both now during the 2022 USFL season and during the offseason to best set up the USFL for success as they hopefully enter their local city markets for the 2023 USFL season? The USFL is appealing to hardcore alt and spring football fans, now what can be done to push the USFL into the casual football fan’s mindset as the USFL moves forward to their inaugural championship game in Canton, Ohio?

0:00 The Markcast Episode Promo
2:24 Show Intro
7:55 Former XFL Director of Player Personnel Eric Galko Interview
47:25 Justin Freeman, Run The Sims USFL Fantasy Interview
1:21:16 USFL Historian Paul Reeths Interview
1:58:50 Show Outro