XFL suspends operations, lays off employees, has no plan for a return in 2021
The XFL has suspended operations and laid off nearly all of its employees, ESPN reported on Friday morning.
Efforts to reach St. Louis BattleHawks through Media Director Brian Stull on Friday were unsuccessful. An emailwas returned marked “undeliverable” and “address not found.”
The eight team league, which included the St. Louis BattleHawks, suspended play halfway through its initial season in March as part of a nationwide shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. But at the time, league officials vowed to return for the 2021 season.
On Friday, XFL CEO Jeffrey Pollack went back on that pledge as he informed league employees of the news during a conference call. While a few league executives are still employed, the league currently has no plans to return in 2021.
There was no comment from the league as to the question if it’s folding for good. Owned by WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, this was the second go-around for the XFL, which folded after one season in 2001.
St. Louis, which shared the lead in the East Division with a 3-2 record when play was suspended in early March, was one of the most successful franchises in the league as pro-football starved fans jammed into the Dome at America’s Center in staggering numbers.
The BattleHawks drew the league’s largest crowd (29,554) in a week three win over New York.
The third biggest crowd (27, 527) was on hand the following week when the BattleHawks defeated Seattle.
This story was originally published April 10, 2020 at 2:44 PM.
