On April 10, the XFL suspended its operations for the rest of the league, laying off most of its staff and leaving no plans for another warm welcome in 2021. The football program closed its doors because of concerns and economic circumstances that persist with COVID-19.

Through April 12, the XFL paid their employees, players and other staff members, all the while offering extended vacation time. More unfortunate news followed as the league plans to refund all advanced ticket sales for the following and final games.

Last month, The XFL’s rebooted season was canceled after five weeks of exhilarating football action. The league had everything to offer for newcomers and diehard fans of the sport. Interesting rules, gameplay changes and scoring opportunities and highlight moments from XFL MVP, P.J. Walker, all made the game more fun. The program left us with some of the best games this year, not just of the XFL’s short-lived schedule, but of all of football in 2020.

This wasn’t a league that cemented itself into disastrous results and infamies like the AAF and the original XFL. This was a revitalized football brand that fans seemed to generally enjoy and was unfortunately canceled due to national circumstances.

Vince McMahon, owner and CEO of the XFL and WWE, has not spoken publicly of the XFL’s underwhelming downfall yet.

XFL’s chief operating officer Jeffrey Pollack, on the other hand, conducted a 10-minute conference call with several staffers to inform them of the layoffs and situations going forward. While Pollack didn’t imply that the league was going out of business, employees took the impression that the XFL won’t come back.

These suspensions eventually led to their parent company, Alpha Entertainment, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This listed the XFL with assets each ranging from $10 million to $50 million with the largest creditor being the St. Louis Sports Commission at $1.6 million.

As a goodbye to all of the football lovers watching from the comfort of their own home, The XFL issued their closing statement:

“The XFL quickly captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of people who love football. Unfortunately, as a new enterprise, we were not insulated from the harsh economic impacts and uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 crisis. Accordingly, we have filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. This is a heartbreaking time for many, including our passionate fans, players and staff, and we are thankful to them, our television partners, and the many Americans who rallied to the XFL for the love of football.”