This article was originally published on April 17th, 2020.
Here is this week's dose of “5-Point Friday”. A weekly round-up of the sports news and stories that I find most interesting and enjoyable.
Football news that I am following -
Spring football league, the XFL, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy just months after the start of its return season.
In a statement attributed its decision to the COVID-19 pandemic,"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."
This marks the second time that the XFL has been forced to fold after just one season. The league was initially launched in 2001 but ceased operations following its inaugural campaign.
Article I've been reading -
The NFL Reporter Who Decided To Play Semi-Pro Football by Karen Given, delves into the career of Detroit Lions journalist Tori Petry (@sportstori).
Baseball story I am enjoying -
John Krasinski (@johnkrasinski) in the latest episode of his Youtube series 'Some Good News' teamed up with the Boston Red Sox. Krasinski along with Red Sox slugger David Ortiz (@davidortiz), donated tickets for life to front line health care staff at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, as thanks for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Social media creative piece I have been appreciating -
Hockey news I am following -
The Finnish Elite League, also known as Liiga, teamed up with broadcasting company Telia to set up an eSports tournament to finish the league's playoff fixtures.
“We needed to make the decision to determine the official season over just before the playoffs due to coronavirus outbreak,” says Liiga marketing manager Aija Saha. “Of course at the time, the decision was not to declare the champion for Liiga at all this year. But still we thought about whether we could bring something fun and entertaining for hockey fans. There were a lot of requests from the fans for the playoffs to be played unofficially virtually, and we started to create the concept together with Telia.”
Each team has chosen one representative to play as their team, with players ranging from real-life pro hockey players such as Harri Pesonen (@Pesottos), Joni Tuulola, and Joona Luoto, but also Finnish celebrities and other hockey fans. The playoff series will be played with a best three-out-of-five format, and matchups will be directly based on the rankings of Liiga’s regular season, with all 10 teams that made it to the playoffs included.
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Jonathan