The obvious first thing they did wrong was playing in the fall which is already oversaturated with the NFL and NCAA.

They started with only four teams. If they couldn't get 8 they should have shelved it.

They originally had unis that all looked like alternate versions of the same team. It was often hard to distinguish the teams from each other.

They waited until the last minute to release the team names and logos. They should have got those out and marketed them as soon as possible.

I watched parts of a few games the first season and there was actually some good football played. I just couldn't bring myself to care in the middle of the college and NFL season, especially with only four teams.

Spring is when we are starved for football. Put teams in the right markets. Play in modest stadiums. It's better to have 22,000 in a 22,000 seater than 23,000 in a vacuous LA Colosseum. Absolutely in no way try to grow too quickly. Realize that the league will NEVER compete with the NFL (and that's OK). Make it football, not the garish WWE spectacle that was the XFL. If they stick to these things they certainly have a shot. Football is by far the most popular sport in the land. Nothing is even remotely close. There is no real football (apologies to Arena fans) in the spring and summer. If they do this right it could work.