The Forgotten Dick Butkus XFL Spalding Football Ad

I don't mean to infringe on anyone's copyright, but there's a general consensus that ads for discontinued products are in the public domain. If you disagree, you're wrong.

Back in 2000, Spalding and XFL Inc (an NBC/WWF collaboration) signed a deal for manufacturing the XFL game ball. Chicago Bears legend Dick Butkus, who had been named the Chicago Enforcers head coach before the season (but moved to a different title in the XFL organization before the season), shot one ad for the red-and-black ball.

An official press release claimed that the ball was tested by professional quarterbacks, and earned their approval before this model was released as the official make. Its appearance marked a radical change from the basic brown models that were standard in all other leagues, and was perhaps the best-received aspect of a whole enterprise that promised radical changes.

Early in 2009, an address in Stamford, Connecticut, home of the front office for WWE, renewed its registration of XFL Inc. Too bad, because I had planned on snatching up the license if they were a day late. :)

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