The XFL appears to be dead for a second time. When the league took a hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, Vince McMahon was selling the dream that the league would return to full operation in 2021.
However, as the COVID-19 outbreak continues on, reports have surfaced that the league has gone under yet again after just 20 games.
According to reports, the XFL is suspending operations and all employees have been laid off. The employees were laid off during a recent conference call and there doesn’t appear to be any immediate plans for the future.
It would mark Vince McMahon’s second failed attempt to launch the league after being one-and-done in 2001. This time around, there seemed to be some promise for the spring football league after impressive ratings in Week 1, but they steadily declined week to week until the season was canceled because of the virus.
Breaking: XFL is suspending operations and has laid off all of its employees because of the COVID-19 pandemic, per @FieldYates pic.twitter.com/j2xiwWAzE9
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) April 10, 2020
The coronavirus outbreak has led to the cancellation or postponing of many large events including The Masters, NCAA Tournament, Coachella, SXSW, the Winter X Games, Stagecoach, Ultra Music Festival in Miami, and more. The NBA, NHL, and MLS have temporarily suspended their seasons.
The coronavirus mainly comes from animals and a majority of those who were infected early either worked at or frequently visited the Huanan seafood wholesale market in Wuhan, according to The Guardian. The virus is similar to Severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (Mers).
The Wuhan coronavirus is transmitted from person to person through “droplet transmission.” That means an infected person can pass the virus by sneezing or coughing on another person as well as by direct contact.
While a majority of the cases have been detected in the United States and China — with more than 16,600 deaths in the United States which surpasses and nearly triples the death toll of the September 11 terrorist in New York City — it has now reached many countries around the world. It has also been confirmed in Italy, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and many other eastern countries.
