In a case of epic bad timing, the XFL is joining the Sonics, Pilots, Totems, Sea-Port Cascades, PGA and LPGA tour stops, the Seattle Bowl, Virginia Slims women’s tennis, Leilani Lanes pro bowling and college basketball Final Fours in the basement closet of Seattle sports enterprises that no longer are.
The new spring pro football league and its Seattle franchise, the Dragons, shuttered operations Friday after a half-season.
Although it was called a suspension by CEO Jeffrey Pollack in a 10-minute conference call with employees, they were told by letter that was posted on social media that employees were permanently laid off.
Cause of extinction was the commencement of a season just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to sweep the globe.
Welp…
pic.twitter.com/5Fe5C5ubOe — Brian Peters (@brian_peters10) April 10, 2020
“We are taking this action because of COVID-19-related business circumstances that were not reasonably forseeable,” the letter said.
“Given the uncertainty of the current environment, the XFL has suspended operations and is evaluating next steps,” the WWE, whose chairman and CEO, Vince McMahon, owns the XFL, said in a statement Friday.
The eight-team league was in a 10-week regular season, but made it to five games. The Dragons, coached by former Seahawks quarterback legend and Ring of Honor member Jim Zorn, were 1-4.
The XFL joined all other American sports leagues and tours in suspending operations in mid-March when social distancing mandates ended the gathering of crowds. Players were told at the time their salaries would be paid for a full season.
Even though the league secured national broadcast time on ESPN and FOX during the slowest part of the sports calendar, the revenues apparently were not enough to sustain operations to a second season in February.
The national shutdown of non-essential businesses has done considerable damage to the economy, and is expected to worsen until a vaccine is found, which public health experts do not anticipate for at least a year.
McMahon, in his second try with a spring football league — the raunchy 2001 version of the XFL was generally hooted off the stage — took things more seriously this time. He had a two-year developmental run-up and hired solid football people to create a “complementary” follow-up to the NFL season.
XFL innovations, including a different kickoff alignment, a no-kick PAT with three choices of risk/reward, and live mics on coaches and players, were seen as plausible adoption possibilities by the NFL.
The XFL demise follows that of the Alliance of American Football, another spring league which closed abruptly after eight weeks in 2019 practically in between snap and handoff. Seattle did not have an AAF franchise.
Now the watch continues for other sports that may not survive even after the return to work, whenever it occurs, for non-essential businesses.
13 Comments
Womp, womp.
All I know is my local Mex restaurant gave me an Ultimo Margarita TO GO……I could not believe that. Put a flimsy plastic cap on a styrofoam cup with a double whammy drink, with a STRAW, and that’s an ‘UNOPENED CONTAINER’!? Okay. Gracias. Much obliged. This could be a peak into the future…1930’s anyone?
The XFL right now could use an Ultimo now.
That’s too bad to hear but not surprising. I wouldn’t mind seeing something happen that can make the NFL just a little uncomfortable in its place in the football world. Just waiting for others to follow at this point.
Two spring leagues dying in two years should tell us something: It’s cold in the shadow of the giant.
Attributing this failure to COVID-19 is typical XFL hyperbole. A mild case of sniffles would have sufficed. Of all the virus related deaths worldwide, this is the least lamentable.
On a more positive note, XFL #2 was an upgrade over #1. So that’s progress. Based on projecting out the curve, I can’t wait for version #7.
It’s less hyperbole and more reality. There won’t be enough ad dollars to go around. Minor league baseball seems a likely casualty.
Since most startups have most likely failed in this period, I do not doubt the new, seasonal XFL needs t shut down. What I am surprised about is why they did not lend any hope for next year. Payroll is most of the cost of these organizations, so laying off the players and the office staff is expected. The players will love to come back for another try next year, but the quality staffers will find other work.
Hopefully the XFL will be here next year – It seemed to be fairly well thought out and was filling a dead season – God knows Mariner’s baseball doesn’t fill the need any longer.
It’s the bigger picture. We’re in a recession and perhaps a depression. Mainstream sports will struggle greatly, and new, marginal sports will have no chance for ad dollars and sponsorships.
Jim Zorn always had such a baffled look on his face……
Jimmy Z’s capacity for surprise was endless.
The pandemic only hastened the inevitable. The XFL, like all Non-NFL pro football leagues, was doomed before it began.
Any spring/developmental league needs involvement with the NFL to last. That’s why the World League / NFL Europe lasted a decade or so; Paul Tagliabue believed in its developmental / minor league concept and kept it afloat, until Roger Goodell replaced him and killed it. I heard an ESPN radio reporter yesterday saying that if there were no pandemic, the XFL would surely have returned next year, but the financial hit from the cancelled games was too much for the jittery investors and sponsors besides McMahon.
There’s still a need for a development league, for the coaches, officials, executives and even operations staff as well as the players, but unless the NFL is willing to establish one as a loss leader, you’ll need investors with a lot of up-front capital and a willingness to endure initial financial hits, like the first MLS owners.