The XFL played its probable swansong on NBC with its championship game drawing less than three million primetime viewers on Saturday night.
The Los Angeles Xtreme's 38-6 drubbing of the San Francisco Demons hit a 1.2 rating, 4 share among adults 18-49 in Nielsen fast national numbers. That's a slight improvement from the opening XFL playoff contest on NBC, but not the kind of number that will change NBC's thinking about bailing out on its $100 million partnership with the World Wrestling Federation.
NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol has indicated it would take a major turnaround in ratings during the XFL playoffs to keep NBC in the game. WWF honcho Vince McMahon has already declared his intention to pursue a deal with UPN as the XFL's primary broadcast partner for a second season. - Richard Tedesco
