Front Office Sports is reporting that the start of the UFL season could be in jeopardy. FOS is owned by RedBird IMI which is the parent company of RedBird Capital. Which owns half of the United Football League.
Sources for this article are people on the inside clearly, which makes the report even more interesting. What are they saying and why did they put this out there.
The start of the United Football League’s second season could be in jeopardy if labor talks don’t improve, a source familiar with negotiations told Front Office Sports.
All 24 quarterbacks were scheduled to get in a quarterbacks-only practice starting February 23rd thought the 26th. This was ahead of the March 3rd start of training camp. Instead, the players sent a letter to UFL President Russ Brandon and Executive Vice President Of Football Operations Daryl Johnston.
The proposal our Players Association received on Thursday was unacceptable and insulting. We – all of the quarterbacks in the UFL – have collectively decided not to attend the UFL quarterback training camp this weekend in Arlington, Texas, in proposal of that proposal and the message that is sent to us as players.
Their walk out did move the needle a little bit according to this report.
"The quarterbacks’ actions led the UFL to make a new proposal, which was enough of an improvement in health care and player salaries to get players to training camp, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The players want to see the league further improve its offer, which is why a new collective bargaining agreement remains unsigned as of Tuesday morning. "
The report goes on to say the relationship between the UFL and the United Football Players Association as “shaky”.
players prepared to take more labor actions during training camp if the UFL remains “dug in” to its current offer"
This FOS report is clearing stating a new collective bargaining agreement is on the table, waiting for the players to sign and the league is not budging.
Front Office Sports has been used in the past for other pro UFL articles like "The UFL Is Primed for Success—If It Can Resist Its Impulse for Hypergrowth" or "Army, UFL Say $11 Million Marketing Saga With The Rock Is Resolved".
By putting this out there, the UFL front office is putting pressure on the players to sign. No one has reported what the new collective bargaining agreement actually entails and what the players pay raise is.
The story has gotten some run in Reuters and the Pat MacAfee Show. Both sides have valid points. It would be a disaster and there might be no league if season two does not happen.