The XFL has suspended its operations and laid off nearly all of its employees. According to ESPN, the league does not have plans to return in 2021.
The eight-team league played five of its 10 scheduled games before canceling its season on March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The league, owned by WWE's Vince McMahon, was the successor to the original XFL that debuted in 2001 and lasted just one season before crumbling due to poor TV ratings.
"Given the uncertainty of the current environment, the XFL has suspended operations and is evaluating next steps,” the league said in a statement. According to ESPN, XFL COO Jeffrey Pollack spoke with employees in a conference call on Friday to inform them that the league was shutting down.
While the original 2001 is remembered for popularizing the use of the Skycam to broadcast football games, the 2020 version was the first American football league to show betting lines on-screen during broadcasts on FOX, ESPN, and ABC. As the league tried to build its fanbase, gaming was made a priority as demonstrated deals with online bookmakers such as DraftKings, FanDuel, FOX Bet, and PointsBet.
Sports betting network VSiN also partnered with the XFL to produce weekly gambling-oriented audio streams of games. The XFL also established a health committee focused on improving the brain health of its athletes. Online data management system Kinduct was used to consolidate player injury history.
XFL broadcasts were unique, with players taking part in on-field interviews during games; viewers also heard coaches calling play calls in real-time. Fans were also taken inside the replay booth during video reviews as the replay official verbalized his decision to reverse or uphold a call, an act of transparency that could be imitated by other sports leagues.
