Exploring the World’s Newest Sports Leagues (2019-Present)
Sports are constantly evolving. Just last year, new events like skateboarding were added to the Olympics, highlighting the ebb and flow of athletics. There are a variety of ways to gauge the success of these new leagues and sports. Along with inclusion in the Olympics, another example is participation from sportsbooks. In fact, some betting offers from sportsbooks focus on new leagues in order to build support and attention.
As we’ll discover with LIV Golf (mentioned below), action from oddsmakers is a positive sign that a league has found its footing with fans. It means they want to dive into the details and forecast a winner—and they’re also probably interested in watching the live competition unfold.
But how are new leagues born? In reality, there are tons of different ways for a league to take off. Sometimes, it comes down to funding and global reach, as with LIV Golf. Other times, it’s about piggybacking on the popularity of other leagues, as with the XFL and USFL. Let’s cover some of the world’s newest sports leagues, focusing on North America but thinking globally.
Coming Soon: Major League Cricket (2023)
The US and Canada have four ‘major leagues’, including the MLB, NHL, NFL, and NBA. However, that doesn’t mean other leagues don’t have large followings. One of the latest projects is Major League Cricket, which will host six teams as they compete in the US starting this July (2023). They will play Twenty20 cricket, which is the same as India’s Indian Premier League.
XFL (Founded 2001, Relaunched 2023)
Back in 2001, Vince McMahon (head of the WWE) decided to create a shorter and more exciting variation of American football. The XFL, so far, has failed twice—once in 2001 and again in 2020. However, this spring’s relaunch went without any major obstacles. In fact, it even managed to launch its Indoor Football League (IFL) this year, which will act as a minor league component.
USFL (Founded 1982, Relaunched 2022)
The XFL relaunch is all about providing football fans with content after the NFL ends. The USFL takes place in the summer, acting as North America’s summer league before the NFL restarts. However, it takes a more traditional approach to the sport. Rather than shorten the rules and playing time like the XFL, the USFL sticks to a format very similar to the NFL. Hosted by Fox Sports Group, it seems to have staying power.
LIV Golf (2021)
For close to a century, the PGA has managed to act as professional golf’s primary (if only) league. That changed back in 2021 when Saudi Arabia launched its LIV Golf series. Since then, the series has struggled to take off—first because of a public boycott, then because of a stiff welcome from the PGA. Funded by Saudi Arabia’s famous Public Investment Fund (PIF), not all pundits were certain about the league’s trajectory.
However, it seems to have found its place. As mentioned above, sportsbooks have also started offering lines on LIV golfers this year, hinting the rivalry between the leagues may be softening already. At least, from an infrastructural perspective.
Basketball Africa League – BAL (2021)
A pan-African basketball league has been in the works for decades. However, it wasn’t until 2021 that both the NBA and FIBA were able to help launch this new competition. The BAL closely mirrors UEFA’s Champion’s League in European football, as it brings together the continent’s top domestic teams and pits them against one another in an OTT tournament. This year, Egypt’s Al Ahly took home its first title.
All Elite Wrestling – AEW (2019)
Similar to the PGA, the WWE has had a near stranglehold on its sport since it was founded. Over the decades, the WWE has seen multiple rivals launch and then fail. However, it seems like AEW is here to stay. In 2019, Shahid Khan and Tony Khan launched the pro wrestling company. Shahid was leaning on his experience as the owner of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, but it’s his son who has taken the company and launched it to new heights.
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