One month after cancelling the remainder of its return season, the XFL has laid off its employees and suspended league operations.
The XFL held a conference call Friday morning where all employees were told about the league suspending operations, according to NFL Network and ESPN.
After canceling the remainder of its season last month because of the coronavirus pandemic, but promising to be back in 2021, the upstart league backed by WWE has left its future in doubt.
The NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported one employee described "the word they used was 'shut down.'" Reporter Mike Garafolo added that XFL employees are being paid through Sunday and a source on the call told him there was no discussion regarding when operations could restart.
The XFL has yet to officially confirm Friday's developments, but the league's Twitter account seemed to acknowledge it was shutting down.
Several XFL employees also shared the news on Twitter saying that they've been laid off.
In a letter to fans on March 20, league officials said they planned to return for a full season in 2021. But ESPN reported Friday that the league now has no plans to return in 2021.
The league played just five games of a 10-game regular season in eight cities. It was a revival of the XFL that played one season in 2001.
