Hollywood actor and former WWE champion Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is purchasing a league that combines two of his loves: football and wrestling.
According to Sportico, The Rock is part of a group that bought the XFL, which was originally founded by WWE chairman Vince McMahon. Johnson, alongside investment firm RedBird Capital, shelled out $15 million for the sports league.
“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,” Johnson stated in a press release. “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.”
Earlier this year, the XFL filed for bankruptcy after ending its operations as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
After folding following its initial season in 2001, the league relaunched in 2020 and experienced relative success during its first five weeks of the season.
Since ceasing operations, multiple players from the eight-team league have gone on to sign with NFL teams.
It’s unclear how involved the former football and wrestling star will be from an operations standpoint. It is likely that his purchase of the XFL could bring newfound interest in it and provide additional promotional opportunities.
