The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has decided to reschedule
the 2020 season. In a press release from the promotion, it was stated that the
2020 season will be “rescheduled for spring 2021.” Given the timing of the
global pandemic and the season format the PFL has become known for, it seems to
be the safest call to make when conducting a fight promotion with a league and
seasonal model.
The full press release is available at the PFL website.
Fans of the PFL are likely aware that when they kick off their season it is usually around late May or early June. While it seems like the timing could have worked out for them when the COVID-19 situation started back in early March then it was declared a pandemic, things only got worse fast. This is likely the right call for everyone.
In the release, a statement from Professional Fighters
League CEO, Peter Murray read; “In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the
Professional Fighters League has rescheduled our upcoming 2020 season for spring
2021. PFL is a global MMA league with athletes from over 25 countries, and our
decision is guided by the health and safety of our fighters, fans, partners,
and event personnel.” Murray also said, “For the remainder of 2020, the PFL
will support our fighters with a monthly cash stipend to help provide some
relief during these challenging times.”
The press release also stated the PFL “for 2020 is creating
new original programming for distribution across ESPN platforms and PFL
channels,” but no details were given as to what that would be for this year.
2018 PFL Light Heavyweight champ and play-by-play announcer Sean O’Connell reacted on social media to the news saying, “Obviously I wish I was calling fights next month, but very proud to work for a company that is taking care of its fighters during this crisis. This should be the norm.”
Were you hoping the 2020 season would still be able to happen?