XFL Suspends Operations, 2021 Return Unlikely

The XFL’s future grew more uncertain Friday after the league suspended operations and laid off employees.

The alternative football league cancelled its regular season on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but at the time had committed to returning in 2021. Now, however, the league has no such plans, according to ESPN.

This, of course, would not be the first time the XFL folded. The Vince McMahon brainchild first arrived in 2001 as a joint venture with the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) and NBC. A ratings failure, that experiment lasted just one season after suffering tens of millions of dollars in losses.   

With the promise of being more polished in 2020, the eight-team XFL returned, only to complete half of its 10-week slate due to the ongoing pandemic, which has suspended professional sports seasons across the board. This coming weekend would have marked the end of the XFL’s regular season prior to two weeks of playoff games.

XFL games drew an average of 18,614 fans, according to ESPN, with St. Louis and Seattle drawing the biggest crowds. Games aired on ABC and ESPN networks averaged 2,084,000 viewers in Weeks 1-4, while Fox stations averaged 2,019,000 per game.

Like the original, the rebooted XFL received mix reviews from fans in search of post-Super Bowl content. The league became home to some recognizable names, but the talent paled in comparison to that of the NFL.

XFL players were released from their contracts on March 12, allowing them to pursue NFL deals. As for league employees, they will be paid through Sunday, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Beyond that, any XFL business looks like a long shot right now.