2020 NXL regional events
The 2020 NXL regional events were three proposed United States paintball tournaments announced by the National Xball League (NXL) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Intended to provide regional competition following cancellations on the national calendar, the programme covered Texas, the West Coast and the Mid-Atlantic region. The events were subsequently cancelled without taking place.[1][2]
Proposed programme
[edit]A contemporary report published on 11 May 2020, drawing on a question-and-answer session with NXL president Tom Cole, described plans for three smaller regional tournaments following the cancellation of the league's Virginia and Chicago events.[1]
Professional teams were to be divided geographically:
| Proposed region | Professional teams |
|---|---|
| Texas | 6 |
| West Coast | 6 |
| Mid-Atlantic | 8 |
The programme also envisaged divisional competition, including X-Ball and five-player formats. Divisional teams could potentially attend more than one regional tournament, although only one regional event score was intended to count towards their season standings.[1]
Dates and venues
[edit]As of 11 May, exact dates and venues remained unconfirmed. The proposed sequence was Texas, California and then the Mid-Atlantic region, beginning around late August and continuing into September, subject to restrictions on sporting events.[1]
Cancellation
[edit]In July 2020, the NXL cancelled the regional programme. A league statement reproduced by Damn Paintballs on 18 July described the competitions as August and September regional events intended to replace the 2020 NXL Chicago Open.[2]
The statement cited the safety and wellbeing of players, supporters and staff. It explained that the league would concentrate instead on the Chicago ICPL event in October and the NXL World Cup in November.[2]
None of the proposed regional tournaments took place, and no event results or champions were awarded.