Another victim to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The XFL was one of the last major sports leagues in the United States to shut down due to the spread of Coronavirus, likely due to money concerns in their inaugural year.
It appears as if that money is no longer enough to pay employees, with COO Jeff Pollock issuing a conference call with all employees today informing them that the league is suspending almost all operations and terminating their jobs.
NEWS: on a call today with COO Jeffery Pollock, XFL employees were just informed that the league is suspending operations and all employees have been laid off. Another sport impacted further by the current COVID-19 crisis.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 10, 2020
The XFL just held a conference call in which all employees were told the league is suspending operations. Said one: “The word they used was ‘shut down’.”
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 10, 2020
The XFL had a real chance to succeed with impressive numbers in their opening weeks and sustainable viewership and attendance throughout the end of the first season before it was cut short.
The league says they have no plans to return in 2021.