LOS ANGELES – Not too long ago, on March 8, at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, the Los Angeles Wildcats were in the midst of completing a comeback win over the Tampa Bay Vipers. 

Heather Brooks Karatz, the president of L.A.'s XFL team, remembers the day well. 

“Our football chemistry was really strong and you could see our fans were invested in this," she recalls. "They were committed and they couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.”

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She could've never guessed where the next few weeks would take her team and the league as a whole. 

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the XFL announced plans to suspend play on field. In mid-April, the league suspended all operations and laid off the bulk of its staff. 

"When we sat there after we suspended our season and started thinking about, 'Well how do we even plan for season ticket renewals, and marketing campaigns, and content plans and processes?' It was impossible," Karatz said. 

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While she understands the pandemic has had a huge economic impact on the sports industry, she did not anticipate a complete shutdown to the league she had helped build. 

“I wasn’t anticipating a bankruptcy and I probably don’t fully understand why we are where we are today," she said. "But I do recognize the fact that from a business perspective this industry has taken a massive blow.”

She said it was a tough decision for her and for her entire staff. 

They had been on such a high just a few weeks ago after a big win on March 8, happy to know they were succeeding when many believed there was no room for a team like the Wildcats. 

"Our fans heard us, they listened, and they showed up. I’m so grateful for that because it created an amazing environment, an amazing community to build around," she said. "It’s just unfortunate that we are where we are now."

That's not to say there's no hope for the XFL in the future.

Karatz said while the business would need a major benefactor, there is a road map sitting for an interested party in bankruptcy court. 

“Football is still America’s favorite sport and I think now this country has seen that spring football can work," said Karatz.