XFL chose wrong sport

Football's faithful have a new reason to be excited this year, as the ever-exciting NFL Pro Bowl does not mark the last game until September. The newly formed XFL, which is owned by Vince McMahon of WWF fame, will begin in February and last into the spring.\nBut while many are anxious to see the XFL's quirky elements, such as no fair catches, the league's biggest problem is its competition.\nIn the last 10 years, football has become the nation's most popular sport. The NFL is the most successful professional league, and there is no reason why that would change in the immediate future. It is hard enough to succeed as a league, but with such strong competition it becomes nearly impossible. The XFL will be something new and different at first, but after a couple of years it will wear off and the best players will still aim for the NFL. \nIf McMahon really wants to have long-term success, he should look into a professional baseball league. There he will find a greater chance for profit, and he will be doing today's baseball fans a huge service. Major League Baseball has been so poorly run that fans are leaving in droves. Commissioner Bud Selig seems to have no clue what he is doing and no end to the league's troubles is in sight. Now seems the perfect time for an upstart league to enter the picture. Instead of aiming for a market of already-pleased football fans, why not attempt to steal the fans who are so upset with Major League Baseball?\nInstead of worrying about ridiculous rule changes (no fair catches will last only until the first paralysis), they can attack the true problems with their competition. Unlike MLB, they can share revenue and implement a salary cap. The biggest problem in baseball today is that the richest teams can afford the best players, and most of the league has no chance to ever compete for a World Series shot. Last week's signing of Mike Mussina by the New York Yankees is proof that baseball has a major problem. Any other team in the league would covet him, but the Yankees were able to offer an unmatchable contract and secure another of the handful of great pitchers in the league today.\nThe reason the NFL is so much better off today than baseball is simple. Major League Baseball's teams work separately from each other, as each team tries to succeed financially on its own. The NFL is the exact opposite. Teams work together to make the entire league a success. That, in the long run, leads to a large profit and a happy fan base. No NFL fan can feel more than two or three years away from contending for the Super Bowl, while small-market baseball fans will never feel the electricity of the post-season.\nIf McMahon were to attempt to start a pro baseball league with a centralized outlook, he could really be cooking. His success with pro wrestling has given him the money to compete for top stars. Small market fans would immediately change loyalties, because they would see hometown teams with a chance to win. He could also attack the game itself, by installing rules that would affect game play. \nPeople have turned to football over baseball for arbitrary reasons; football games are events, as they occur just once a week. Each game is important; as there are so few and playoff games are winner take all. Those are elements of the league, not the game itself. Sports fans still like baseball, but have been drawn away because of off-the-field reasons.\nFans might be against more baseball now, but the game was popular recently, and can be again, but it needs some kind of stimulation. A competitive league is the perfect solution to at least pose as a threat.\nFootball does not need that. The NFL is strong enough to withstand competition, and the XFL's tenure will be a short one.