Yes. The USFL of the 80's, and the WLAF, the UFL, and so on had TV deals. The XFL and USFL have TV networks as investors! So yeah, it's a lot different.
To do what? Take pro players back as amateur athletes? Are you seriously suggesting that?
If you're going to quote history, be sure you are talking about the same thing. Because the USFL and XFL of today bears no relation to the past leagues that failed. First of all, both leagues are partnered with TV networks. XFL with ESPN/ABC and USFL with Fox and NBC.
And if the NFL is willing to enter into a player development deal, that's only going to make these leagues even stronger. And before you say "college football is a farm club" you can't send players back to college for more development. You can do it with the XFL and USFL.
I get two local papers, plus I subscribe to two online world/national news outlets. Three before I dropped the BN.
A buck 25 or 50. Sunday papers are like $5.
All while slashing the quality of the paper. The Buffalo News was one of the last decent local papers. But Lee Enterprises is a newspaper killer.
No idea
That's fine, but it doesn't change their legal right to own their legacy.
But we'll see if legacy matters. The XFL has half a season worth of "legacy" to work with and I think, side-by-side with the USFL, they were the more attractive spring football league. A better TV viewing experience. Teams playing in their real home cities. They played right after the NFL so football interest was still fresh.