XFL tours BBVA Compass Stadium and TDECU Stadium

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - The XFL, which begins play in the spring of 2020, was in Houston Wednesday for a site visit.

Houston is one of 15 cities under consideration to land a franchise.

The XFL is expected to open play with eight teams.

Led by the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, Houston has already made its formal presentation.

An executive from the XFL toured potential home venues for an XFL Franchise with Janis Burke, the CEO of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority.

“We took them around. We have different venues that could host them,” Burke said in an interview with FOX 26 Sports.

“We looked at UH (TDECU Stadium). We looked at BBVA Compass Stadium (Home of the Houston Dynamo). We’re showing them what it would be like to have a home here in Houston.”

The site visit is the final part of the pitch to bring the XFL to Houston.

“The site visit is where all the nuts and bolts and facility discussions take place.” Burke said. “So it is important to get a feel for our city and the enthusiasm for what it would be like if they came here.”

Not that XFL commissioner and CEO Oliver Luck needs to do much homework on that front.

Luck is a former Oilers quarterback, one-time CEO of the Sports Authority and former president of the Houston Dynamo soccer franchise.

Landing an XFL franchise is a priority for the Sports Authority.

“It would just be another feather in our cap,” Burke said. “We are America’s sports city, and here we go winning another big bid. I think it would be fabulous.”

Burke said the XFL is expected to reach a final decision on the franchises that will make up the league for its inaugural season in the next six to eight weeks.

“I’m sure it’s a tough competition,” Burke said. “It’s not going to be an easy decision, but we feel confident that Houston has what they need.”

Burke would actually like to see the XFL have a presence in Houston beyond the franchise being here, if Houston lands a team.

“I pitched the idea of what if they did a training camp right here in Houston and brought all of the teams and the media to town,” Burke said.

“I think it would be a great move for them and a great move for us.”

If the XFL likes the idea of holding their first training camp here, Burke said the Houston Amateur Sports Park could be an ideal location.

“We’ve looked at the Sports Park where the Dynamo practice, where the new rugby stadium’s going to be. So we think there could be some synergies out there,” Burke said.

“Basically, the economic impact of bringing all of those players and teams to Houston would be phenomenal for our city.”