Andrew Luck's father to be new XFL commissioner
Oliver Luck, a former NFL quarterback and the father of Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, has been named commissioner and CEO of the rebooted XFL.
We are proud to announce that former #NFL and #NCAA executive and quarterback @OliverLuckXFL has been named the #XFL Commissioner & CEO. pic.twitter.com/ROzr027Bld
— United Football League (@TheUFL) June 5, 2018
Luck will leave his job as executive vice president with the NCAA, where he oversaw regulatory functions.
Luck has experience as an NFL chief executive. He served as the president of NFL Europe in 2000 before becoming the chief executive officer of the Houston Sports Authority in 2001, per ESPN. He was also president and general manager of the MLS’s Houston Dynamo.
A source told Yahoo Sports that Luck’s decision to leave the NCAA was based not on dissatisfaction with the job but rather due to the “special opportunity” of helping launch a professional football league.
“Football has always been a constant in my life and I’m excited about the unique opportunity to present America’s favorite sport to fans in a new way,” Luck said in a statement. “The XFL will create first-class organizations that local cities across the country will be proud of.”
“I’m excited to present a dynamic version of America’s favorite sport. Like you, I want a fast-paced, high-energy, authentic, yet simpler game. We intend to deliver that and so much more. Our games will be affordable for the entire family, and our teams, players and coaches will be a source of pride for local communities around the country,” Luck added in a video message.
“Just last week, we distributed our proposal to 30 markets across the U.S., and we are working hard to select the right homes for our inaugural eight teams in 2020. This will be a labor of love, as I get to combine my experiences as a football player and a football executive to create something that fuels your passion and makes you proud to be a fan of the XFL,” Luck added.
The league, which is set to launch in January 2020, will feature eight teams and a 10-week schedule.
“Oliver and I share the same vision and passion for re-imagining the game of football,” XFL founder and chairman Vince McMahon said in a statement. “His experience as both an athlete and executive will ensure the long-term success of the XFL.”
Luck, 58, made his name on the field. He was a two-time Academic All-American quarterback at West Virginia University, before being picked by the Houston Oilers in the second round of the 1982 NFL draft.
Luck played with the Oilers for four seasons before retiring. In his rookie year, he started six games at quarterback, but spent most of his career as a backup.
His son, Andrew Luck, was the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft by the Colts and is a three-time Pro Bowler.
The XFL will have some competition, not just from the NFL but also from the Alliance of American Football, or AAF, which is set to launch in February 2019.
Like the XFL, the AAF will have eight teams and play a 10-week season. AAF teams are confirmed in Orlando, Atlanta, Memphis, Phoenix, San Diego and Salt Lake City.
And it looks like Birmingham, Alabama, will be the seventh city, according to the Birmingham Business Journal.
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