I remain captivated by the potential resurrection of the XFL, the first non-major pro-league that I thought had a real chance of survival in its brief, pre-pandemic moment. Last week, it appeared that owner Vince McMahon was orchestrating maneuvers to reclaim the league himself, but that seems to have come to an abrupt halt. Reporting from the Athletic (paywall).

Vince McMahon has pulled out of bidding for his bankrupt XFL…Those revelations came in a series of filings Tuesday, in which the league founder McMahon blamed a creditors’ committee for hounding him out of the bidding by accusing him of rigging the process.

But hope remains for the league:

The XFL’s investment bank, Houlihan Lokey, the filing said, is currently in active discussions with dozens of potential purchasers, and that most potential purchasers have indicated that the potential for an XFL season in spring 2021 is important to them.

Much is up in the air, but that the league’s future remains viable–albeit on life support–says so much about the American taste for football.