The XFL returns to the New York area exactly one week after Super Bowl LIV, as the New York Guardians open against Tampa Bay.
The metropolitan area’s NFL squads are likely far removed from the Super Bowl conversation. But New York is nonetheless guaranteed football in February thanks to the XFL.
Earlier this week, the new spring league unveiled the schedule for its inaugural season. An opening pair of games will open action on February 8, less than one week after Super Bowl 54. The New York Guardians will debut in a latter doubleheader the next day at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where they’ll take on the Tampa Bay Vipers. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET and FOX will televise the game nationally.
The Guardians, coached by former New York Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, are one of four teams placed in the XFL’s Eastern Conference. New York shares the conference with the Vipers, as well as the DC Defenders and St. Louis BattleHawks.
Their 10-game slate sees them partake in home-and-home matchups with each of their conference brethren with four games against Western competition split evenly between The Meadowlands and the road. The Los Angeles Wildcats and Houston Roughnecks visit East Rutherford, while the Guardians will travel to take on the Dallas Renegades and Seattle Dragons.
Monday’s schedule release is the latest development as the XFL prepares to take the field. Rosters were formed last week via league-mandated quarterback allocation and a 70-round draft. Penn State alum Matt McGloin was the Guardians’ assigned thrower and notable draftees included former New York Jets running back Tommy Bohanon and All-American offensive lineman Cyrus Kouandijo. A supplemental draft will be held in November.
Times, dates, and TV information had been previously released, but now each of the league’s eight teams has been placed in the slots. Of note, the league has chosen to stick with afternoon kickoffs. Of the 76 regular season games, only three will kickoff after 6:00 PM local time. All games will be televised on the networks of ESPN (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2) and Fox Sports (Fox, FS1, FS2). The top two teams in each conference will make the playoffs, with the Eastern portion taking place on February 18. A championship will be held at an undetermined location on April 26.
| New York Guardians 2020 Schedule | |||
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV |
| February 9 | Tampa Bay | 2:00 p.m. | Fox |
| February 15 | @ DC | 2:00 p.m. | ABC |
| February 23 | @ St. Louis | 3:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| February 29 | Los Angeles | 2:00 p.m. | ABC |
| March 7 | @ Dallas | 5:00 p.m. | Fox |
| March 14 | Houston | 2:00 p.m. | ABC |
| March 22 | @ Seattle | 3:00 p.m. | ABC |
| March 28 | St. Louis | 5:00 p.m. | Fox |
| April 4 | DC | 2:00 p.m. | ABC |
| April 12 | @ Tampa Bay | 6:00 p.m. | FS1 |
