The XFL has announced their XFL Player Showcases and they are hitting the road to find the best talent to join their 2023 XFL relaunch. We are talking USFL with FOX Sports Sideline Reporter Brock Huard, discussing the USFL player unionizing with UFPA president Kenneth Farrow II and chatting CFL draft fallout and CBA negations with Canadian Press and CFL Hall of Fame reporter Dan Ralph. We’re also joined by Quan Bray of the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes and we learn about the American 7s Football League with commentator and producer Matt Ryan on this JAM-PACKED show!

The XFL is continuing to make moves ahead of their 2023 relaunch including a new hire to the executive board with a new Senior Vice President of Team Services and the announcement of their 2023 XFL Player Showcases. We break down what this recent hire means as it relates to the potential for an XFL 2023 “hub” season or if the evidence points towards a “hybrid-bubble” season for the league’s 2023 return. We also update you on the 6 locations feature player showcase events for hopefuls trying to play in the 2023 XFL relaunch and the next steps to participate with the league’s return.

LOTS of USFL chatter on the show as well as we welcome FOX Sports Sideline Reporter (and Pacific Northwest football legend) Brock Huard onto the show. We discuss Brock’s involvement in the 2022 USFL launch, his thoughts on the season thus far and get insights into the USFL broadcast. Brock also rates the quality of play coming out of the USFL and talks the importance of alt-football leagues to player development. United Football Players Association president Kenneth Farrow II returns to the program to give updates on the news coming out this week with the USFL players signing up to unionize with the help of United Steelworkers. Kenneth shares the importance of a union as it relates to players in alt, non-NFL football leagues and lets us know the goals they hope to accomplish with their unionization.

Plenty of CFL discussion as well this week with Canadian Press reporter Dan Ralph making a return to update us on the 2022 CFL Draft fallout and the upcoming expiration of the CFLPA current collective bargaining agreement. Is the 2022 CFL season in jeopardy? We discuss. Dan Ralph also gives the rundown for the 2022 CFL Draft and 2022 CFL Global Draft including notable players drafted and stories coming out of this week’s affair. Quan Bray of the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes also sits down to talk his CFL off-season thus far, retuning to Montreal for the 2022 CFL season and the nature walks (?) he likes to enjoy in his spare time!

Finally Matt Ryan, commentator and producer for A7FL fills our listeners in on the great work the league is doing growing their specific brand of American football and why purveyors of alt-football would enjoy and should think about checking out their unique take on the game!

0:00 The Markcast Episode Promo
2:19 Show Intro
8:02 Brock Huard, USFL FOX Sports Sideline Reporter Interview
46:26 Kenneth Farrow II, UFPA President Interview, USFL Union Talks
1:04:07 USFL Rule Updates, New Time Clock Thoughts
1:07:36 XFL News, XFL Player Showcase Announcements, New XFL Hire, No “Hub” Season???
1:20:56 Dan Ralph, Canadian Press, CFL Hall of Fame Reporter Interview, CFL Draft and CFLPA CBA
1:47:46 Quan Bray, CFL Montreal Alouettes Interview
1:59:21 Matt Ryan, A7FL Interview
2:21:07 Show Outro