XFL's Travel Logistics Make Things Awkward For Losing Team After Playing On Spray-Painted Field

The XFL's travel logistics make things awkward for the losing team. That notion was on display after Saturday's game between the Defenders and Vipers on a field that cannot be taken seriously.

First and foremost, the XFL was unable to land Allegiant Stadium as the home of its Las Vegas team. So while other organizations play at Camping World Stadium, the Alamodome, or The Dome at America's Center, the Vipers play at Cashman Field.

Cashman Field was originally built as a Triple-A baseball stadium in 1983. It was renovated and converted to a minor league soccer field in 2019.

Now it is being used for football.

The dead grass had to be spray-painted green before the game.

If that wasn't bad enough, it started to rain and the field conditions quickly devolved.

Even the press box was... something!

The field in Las Vegas is the only one of its kind. All of the other fields in the XFL are, at the very least, fairly legitimate. Just not in Sin City.

If playing on a spray-painted soccer field wasn't bad enough, the losing team had a long ride home.

On Saturday, it was the D.C. Defenders that left victorious. The "home-town" Vipers lost by 12.

Except they didn't get to go home to the comfort of their homes in Las Vegas. They had to get on a plane back to Texas right after post-game showers.

For 2023, the XFL employed a hybrid structure.

All eight teams in the league practice in or around a hub in Arlington, Texas. They are all based out of the same location and travel to the various markets for games.

As it would turn out, both teams travel together. So Sunday, after losing to the Defenders, the Vipers had to get on the same plane as the team that beat them for their combined flight back to the Lone Star State.

Jordan Ta'amu, the starting quarterback for D.C., posted a snapchat video from the plane. The Defenders were in the back, jamming out to Future and celebrating the win.

The Vipers were in the front, silent and wallowing in their loss.

For the XFL to fly both teams to and from Texas to the same location for their games makes perfect sense. Especially as it tries to generate legitimate, profitable revenue.

It just makes things AWWWWWWKKKKWWWWWAAAAAARRRDDD!