SAN ANTONIO – It’s official -- the inaugural XFL 2023 championship game will be held in San Antonio, league officials announced on Sunday.
“San Antonio was always very high on the list...,” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson said during a press conference.
The XFL championship game in San Antonio will be held at the Alamodome on May 13, the league said.
Let’s go @XFLBrahmas! It’s no secret that San Antonio is a football city, and today we showed up. 💪
— Mayor Ron Nirenberg (@Ron_Nirenberg) February 19, 2023
BIG thank you to @XFL2023, @TheRock, and @DanyGarciaCo for choosing the @Alamodome to host the XFL Championship, May 13 on @ABC.#XFL2023 | #HornsForward pic.twitter.com/swjg2bFGiv
Johnson and other league officials visited the Alamodome during the season opener for the SA Brahmas, who faced off against the St. Louis Battlehawks. The Brahmas fell to the Battlehawks, with a score of 18-15.
San Antonio was already a familiar city to Johnson, as he said this is where he began his professional wrestling career. He added that it “helped shape him as a rookie.”
“I came right here to the Alamodome and this is a tough place to come into,” Johnson said. “I think if we create the right story and the right team, I think this city is really going to be hungry and passionate for it.”
XFL co-owner Gerry Cardinale confirmed the league’s decision and said San Antonio is a “phenomenal town for football.”
“It’s a diverse town, as we’ve talked about. It represents all the values and ideals of what we stand for as a league, as part of football nation. So we led with that. It was an easy decision.”
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW BELOW: XFL owners The Rock, Dany Garcia talk about championship, SA Brahmas
In August of 2020, Johnson announced he, his business partner/ex-wife Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital Partners purchased the XFL for $15 million.
This came after the league suspended its season during the COVID-19 pandemic and declared bankruptcy.
The reformed Brahmas team is led by Hall of Fame Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward.
Dwayne Johnson @TheRock on why San Antonio was picked to host @XFL2023 championship game…says he started his pro-wrestling career in SA. #KSATsports #KSATnews pic.twitter.com/fz0g7jTXn3
— RJ Marquez (@KSATRJ) February 19, 2023