It's unlikely Vince McMahon screamed "YOU'RE FIIIIRRRED!" in anyone's face, but the first season of the second coming of the XFL is over.
A joint letter from XFL Commissioner and CEO Oliver Luck and President and COO Jeffrey Pollack confirmed the news on Friday night.
The XFL season only managed five rounds of matches before the coronavirus pandemic brought a halt to proceedings.
Unlike its 2001 predecessor, the 2020 incarnation had been warmly-received, comparatively speaking.
The extreme gimmicks of 2001 were thankfully absent, and its coverage was drawing comparable ratings figures to similar offerings in other sports.
In their letter, Luck and Pollack remain confident that the XFL will return in 2021.
It's unclear how this season's cancellation will affect the XFL's TV deals. In 2019, they signed broadcast partnerships with Walt Disney Co. and Fox Corp. which allowed for broadcast on the likes of ABC, Fox and their subsidiaries.
In their parting letter for the 2020 season, Luck and Pollack wrote:
The COVID-19 pandemic, and the most recent local and state regulations, have left the XFL no choice but to officially cancel the remainder of the 2020 season. This decision has been made with the health and safety of the entire XFL family as our top priority.
While we are disappointed to not complete the 2020 season, our hearts are full of appreciation for your overwhelming support.
Your passion, your commitment to your favourite XFL team and your love of football made our season a success beyond our wildest dreams. We’re grateful for the incredible response and look forward to playing full seasons for you -- and with you -- in 2021 and beyond.
When our teams return to the field, we’ll make every effort to ensure your faith in us is rewarded with even more fun and excitement. Your passion is our purpose, and everything we do, every day and for every season to come, is For the Love of Football.
We hope you will stay connected to our league and team social and digital channels for news, features, and updates along the way.
From all of us at the XFL, be safe, stay healthy, and, again, thank you. Here’s to 2021!
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