The UFL’s players have introduced another hurdle in the league’s climb to viability.
The adage that any publicity equals good publicity never rings true for entities like the UFL. That’s because the only mainstream attention Spring Pro Football Leagues have gotten in the past has been focused on the failing nature of these fledgling entities. There’s never a net positive from the expected negatives.
Impending doom and inevitable peril are time-tested narratives attached to leagues like the UFL.
From a lack of product awareness to financial struggles, leagues like the UFL only get headlines when something goes wrong, which is what everyone on the outside looking in expects. Well, something is going wrong on a grander scale than usual.
Inside the UFL bubble, everyone knows the stories that have come out in recent days from mainstream outlets like Front Office Sports, Sports Business Journal, and even part league owner ESPN.
Whether overblown or not, Unrest exists in the United Football League universe because some of the league’s players are looking to get more compensation.
Although the league’s players are currently in training camp, prepping for the upcoming 2025 season, which kicks off on March 28th. Currently, some contracted UFL players are sending vague threats to any media members who care that they are contemplating no longer participating in the league until their needs are met.
The UFL braintrust, who has all the leverage, may call their bluff.
UFL management is in a rough spot. The league’s image and future are in a rougher position than they were just a couple of weeks ago. It didn’t help matters, that on the day when the UFL announced single-game ticket sales, an area where the league has struggled mightily to generate revenue, doubt was cast on the season taking place.
Things seem to be getting worse from an optical standpoint after the initial reports of player strife.
Players have confirmed to ESPN that the UFL’s labor negotiations took a turn this week when warned that they would be released if they followed through on a plan to boycott the league’s media days. It’s a message that came directly from the UFL’s top football executive, Daryl ‘Moose’ Johnston.
“In the normal course of business, like any professional league, the UFL has disciplinary procedures in place for a player’s failure to participate in league events. However, it is not a part of UFL policy to cut a player for not participating in events like media day.”- excerpt from ESPN report by Kevin Seifert
Here’s the bottom line: The United Football League, headed by the management teams of FOX Sports and Redbird Capital Partners, and broadcasting part owner ESPN, has just barely survived to arrive at this destination.
Since FOX and RedBird Capital entered the spring football landscape, the two sides have struggled mightily to gain traction as a business. They have attempted and failed to lure financiers. With no success, FOX and RedBird hired prestigious investment firms for the last several years to raise capital for the league with promises of team ownership.
The modern-day incarnations of the USFL and XFL couldn’t get it done apart, so they have merged to seek light at the end of a dim tunnel.
The USFL, XFL, and now UFL have endured a fake-it until you make it strategy. They have struggled and failed to meet yearly revenue markers, which is common in the expensive endeavor of operating a pro football league.
What’s kept the concept and league afloat in the hopes of seeing brighter days is a measured financial model enacted to keep down expenses. Measures like having the league’s teams centralized in Texas for tax breaks to limiting travel costs from that region by flying teams together on flights.
Some players and fans assume that the UFL’s owners, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Dany Garcia, ESPN, RedBird Capital, and FOX could simply reach into their vast finances to fund the league out of pocket, Exhorbitant financial losses be damned. But that’s not how a healthy business or responsible corporation works.
You have to make money to get money. Only mad geniuses like Vince McMahon enact a plan to fund an entire league with half a billion dollars of his own finances.
FOX and RedBird have already spent hundreds of millions of dollars funding the league, but the revenues have not kept up with the expenses. That’s why the UFL has employed seasonal pay and modest-sized staffing to keep the lights on.
Against all odds and conventional wisdom, the UFL is attempting to thrive, but at some point, the survival part to get there will end. Some misguided players are speeding up that process.
The part of the story that you won’t hear is that there are several UFL players who have confided to me that they are siding with management on this issue. They understand that the league isn’t in a position currently to be a cash cow for players and coaches, and are appreciative of the opportunity the league presents for continuing to play and advancing one’s career.
“If it wasn’t for the existence of this league, I wouldn’t be playing pro football professionally, and wouldn’t be in a position to get more opportunities in the NFL. I have teammates who are making an NFL living solely because this league exists”– Current UFL player
As a top UFL executive conveyed to me last night, “We might concede and do what it takes to get on the field in 2025, but it may come at the expense of a 2026 or 2027 season”.
3 Comments
by 4th&long
Mke,
Lets cut to the chase, which I’m prone to do. The players and union heads pushing this are simply idiots.
I posted a response to Mark’s earlier story (on this site) and also on the AFD site saying similar – its common sense to me:
4th&long 11 hours ago · 0 Likes
ESPN reporting late 3/5
Players: UFL threatening release for skipping media days amid labor strife.
Players better wake up and can this amateur UFPA player union before they find themselves on the street or worse UFL DOA.
4th&long 2 days ago · 0 Likes
LOL – Here’s a bold prediction. If the players strike, unlikely to happen or not, the UFL will fold. And if they demand too much, they’ll likely get through this year and fold. Players are living in lala land. Now if its just the QBs, perhaps they come up with a 2 tiered pay system with a little more money for QBs. But the ownership (Fox-50% and RBC/DG/Rock-50%, the Disney portion is unverified) is looking for stability so they can manage losses and focus on the future, If a player strike is continually hanging over head they’ll get through 2025 and bail.
TV ratings drive the league and if they are solid the league will continue sans major player upheaval.
I’ve emailed you in the past and we’ve exchanged responses. I totally believed what I wrote and you confirmed it here.
IMO now the UFL mgt is trying to break or wake up the union. I said a union would be a problem at get go when USFL formed one. Its a start up for heaven sake. The XFL 2023 voted against a union for just this reason. I’d rather see 5-20% of the disgruntled players leave and get a 3 yr CBA and so would the UFL. They won’t go through this crap again and they will point a finger at players if they fold it.
Here’s an idea – if a player doesn’t like it – LEAVE. No one is holding a gun to your head. Its ridiculous. Don’t ruin it for everyone with this insane union. The UFL is forcing players to talk amongst themselves and you can read the X comments and interviews, vast majority want to play and they can back fill the rest ASAP. This union is just screwing everyone.
by Ken Granito
Reading what you wrote it would seem to me the league is going through with 2025 regardless. That would make sense having already invested so much money on the season. Also, if I can see it, it is clear the UFL sees it as well. Even if the union strikes which I doubt it will, the games will still be played. Whatever players strike or walk out can be replaced. Maybe the players won’t be as good or in camp shape, leaving advantages to teams that mostly stay. With that, I still think the league should offer an olive branch to the players paying each player $1,000 for each year a player has been signed to a UFL legacy team. This would be regular season only. So say a player has been on the roster for 10 games in a season they would receive $1,000 for that season. If the player was signed 6 games in they would only be credited with $600 for that season. This is the same whether they were active, injured or on the practice squad. This would be capped at $3,500.00 and this counts for the 2022 & 2023 USFL and XFL seasons as well, though maybe not the 2020 season. Looking at the Stallions, Showboats, Panthers & Roughnecks. For these 4 teams it averages 55 seasons or $55,000 across all the players for those 4 teams, but that does not account for those players that will be cut, nor does it account for the fractional years, so looking at that, this would cost the league somewhere below $400,000 for this olive branch. This would be a very expensive olive branch. At least this would tell players you understand and thank the players for their loyalty and give players a reason to be loyal to you. Often I read where players are so happy coming back a second season, where they already know half of what will be asked of them. Isn’t that worthwhile investment for the league as well? If it makes the accounting easier pay it as a bonus as the season draws down, but everyone who should be rightfully paid should be paid the bonus. There are so many corners. This one should not be cut. Then get a hold on your expenses and revenues and decide what makes sense going forward. For first year players, they won’t get it this year, but promise this or something BETTER will be in its place for next year. Across all the owners this should not be that difficult a pill to swallow other than to mess with budgets, etc. Nothing is perfect. It is clear this is similar in that regard, but it is an excellent league. I look forward to expansion and better opportunities. For players that feel the money isn’t worth the risks associated with football, then walk away. I feel most of the players feel the pay is pretty good. I never made $5,500 a week. I understand the pay is literally seasonal, but the better players will sign with the NFL for camp and make additional money. Additionally players can complete with their football brothers, sharpen their skills and their family and friends can watch those players follow their dreams on TV. Sounds like a good way to spend the Spring.
by Mike Cowan
Why are there so many people reporting that ESPN has a stake in ownership for the UFL they do not the only odors that are ever said are Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Fox, and red bird capital I’ve looked it up many times and cannot find Disney owning any steak in it they are just a partner in Media, meaning they own the rights to broadcast games that does not make them a co-owner. Now as far as the players go they should know going into the league if this is still a startup process and a Gateway for them to get potential looks at the NFL level, now I believe once when ownership ever comes to fruition then they can get a true collective bargaining agreement for year-round Pay and health care.