There are currently no plans in place for the XFL to make a return next yearGETTY IMAGES
The XFL is "shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic," as the league "suspended operations and fired its employees Friday morning," according to Joe Lyons of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. There are "no plans for the league to return" in '21. XFL President & COO Jeffrey Pollack said that the league's shutdown was "directly tied to fallout from the coronavirus" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 4/12). Seattle Dragons coach Jim Zorn said that he had "not been given any definitive word on the league's future." He added that for now, he "will continue to act as if the league will resume play at a later date." Zorn said the conference call on Friday informing league and team employees of the news "was out of the blue." Pollack "read a statement that did not include any specific word on if the league would try to continue at a later date" (SEATTLE TIMES, 4/11). XFL employees on Friday's call said that Pollack "stopped short of saying the league was going out of business." ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert noted that "would be a decision" for XFL Founder Vince McMahon, who also is WWE Chair & CEO. WWE in a statement said the XFL is "evaluating next steps." Meanwhile, Seifert noted XFL Commissioner & CEO Oliver Luck "did not speak on the conference call" and it is "not clear whether he was part of Friday's layoffs." Pollack is the "only executive who is known to be remaining with the league" (ESPN.com, 4/10).
A QUESTION OF TIMING: The question surrounding Friday's move was why now? The coronavirus pandemic killed half of the league's opening season, and that was undoubtedly a real hurdle. But until last week, there was no indication the '21 season was in jeopardy. XFL business partners were operating under the belief that '21 was full-steam ahead until just a few days ago, sources said. The XFL appeared to have more promise than most startup football leagues, primarily because of McMahon’s wealth and apparent commitment -- he originally promised $500M in startup funding after selling a boatload of WWE shares. But McMahon still has control over WWE, and the outfit's share price has fallen dramatically over the last year (-61%). The XFL started to good reviews, decent attendance and better-than-expected TV viewership, even if the TV numbers did decline steadily after Week 1. 16W Marketing co-Founder Frank Vuono, who has done football work with the NFL, UFL and AAF, said, “It wasn’t a bad start on the field. The only surprise is the timing of this. … The issue is always money, but the concept of an NFL developmental league still makes sense to me. You have to have owners who don’t mind losing a couple of hundred million before something like this can get on its feet with a TV contract” (Fischer & Lefton, THE DAILY).
SUDDENLY FELL APART: In Dallas, Joseph Hoyt noted before Friday, there was "still optimism throughout the league that there would be a second XFL season." A billboard "promoting ticket sales" featuring Dallas Renegades QB Landry Jones "still stood on I-30 West between Dallas and Globe Life Park." A source said that on Thursday, a letter from the league "went out to season ticket holders, telling them they would be refunded" for their '21 payments but "would have their ticket status reserved for when the league eventually returned." Playing in the future was "still the plan" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/11).
GONE TOO SOON: THE RINGER's Rodger Sherman wrote this is likely the "end for the XFL." It took "two years of behind-the-scenes work to get the league up and running, and it has now laid off all the people who could potentially get it back up and running." The league also probably "lost most of the money that was supposed to seed a growing fan base." Sherman: "It is very hard to start a football league. The rosters are big; insurance for football players is expensive; fan bases are hard to grow." However, the XFL "proved that a spring football league could be both lighthearted and pragmatic, combining a fun-filled ethos that never would have existed under the NFL’s watchful eye with a legitimate and innovative football product." It also demonstrated that there are "talented players overlooked by the NFL, and it pushed football forward with ideas that the NFL would never invent on its own" (THERINGER.com, 4/10).
CAN SPRING FOOTBALL WORK? NBCSN’s Chris Simms said he is "not a believer that spring football is going to happen." He notes in typical years, the NBA and MLB are taking place the same time of year, while college football spring games "are still a huge deal." Simms: "I just don't know if I want to see that type of quality of football in the springtime.” NBCSN's Mike Florio stressed the XFL "didn’t fail, per se," as the coronavirus forced its hand and McMahon "made a business decision” ("PFT," NBCSN, 4/13). ESPN's Scott Van Pelt said, "To be fair to everyone associated with that league, there’s a global pandemic ongoing. So in terms of timing, it would be impossible for it to be worse.” Van Pelt: “That said, this is the second alternative league that McMahon has backed that did not work. Anyone who wants to bet on any other professional league besides the NFL working ever, just give me your money. It is a pointless exercise, it won’t work because it doesn’t work. The end” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 4/10).
