XFL, St. Louis Battlehawks set return to playing field a bit later than expected
The XFL’s return and the return of the St. Louis BattleHawks to the Dome at America’s Center in downtown St. Louis will have to wait another year.
The league announced Thursday it will not return in 2021, but is targeting a return in 2022 according to tweet by co-owner Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The league followed with an official announcement.
XFL president Jeffrey Pollack said in a statement the league did not want to rush its return.
Johnson and his partners, Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale, purchased the league for $15 million in August. Started and previously owned by WWE owner Vince McMahon, the XFL declared Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in April.
“For the love of football and for the safety of our players and fans, we’ll be back on the field in 2022,” Pollack said. “The opportunity in front of us, with our new ownership, is simply too big to rush back. We want to do this properly with care and thought for everyone who loves football — especially our players, coaches, partners and fans.”
If the league does come back in 2022, it will be the XFL’s third attempt at establishing itself. Following a failed attempt in 2001, the league came back in 2020 only to have the season suspended and eventually canceled at the midway point by the COVID-19 pandemic.
St. Louis had a 3-2 record at the time of the shutdown and was the league’s most successful franchise. Featuring a wide-open offense led by quarterback Jordan Ta’Amu, the BattleHawks had drawn two of the league’s three largest crowds while winning both their home games.
One of the top players in the XFL, Ta’Amu signed a free agent contract with the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in March.
