Antonio Brown’s run as an arena football team owner might be coming to an end. On Thursday, the National Arena League announced that the Albany Empire, the team Brown owns, is no longer part of the league after the former NFL wide receiver failed to pay either a required fee or a fine he received after recent public comments.
“After exhausting all avenues, the NAL board of owners have decided unanimously to terminate the membership agreement of the Albany Empire,” the league said in a statement. “The decision was reached after an emergency conference call of the members in good standing to discuss the Empire’s failure to pay their league mandated and overdue assessments. Each team is responsible to pay for 1/7 of the league’s operating budget via monthly assessments starting in April. The Empire’s owner, Antonio Brown, was also fined $1,000 for Conduct Detrimental to the League for his recent public comments. Mr. Brown refused to pay that fine.”
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The NAL continued: “After acquiring the Albany Empire, new team owner Antonio Brown paid the Empire’s April assessment. The team then failed to make their May 15th assessment payment and last week just before the Empire’s game in Orlando, the league was notified that the April assessment was being challenged. That payment was subsequently credited back to Mr. Brown.”
Brown became the majority owner of the Empire in April. The league spoke to Brown’s accountant, Alex Gunaris, who was informed of the NAL’sattempt to college the assessments. Gunaris told the league that it was unlikely that Brown was going to pay the assessment or fine. The Empire had until Thursday at noon local time to make their payment. Brown missed the deadline, forcing the league to cancel their home game with the Jacksonville Sharks and terminate their membership.
Brown’s tenure as Empire owner hasn’t been one to remember. Along with his team being kicked out of the NAL, the Empire has been through multiple coaches, and both quarterbacks on the roster were released after last weekend’s loss to the Orlando Predators, according to ESPN. Brown also said that he was going to play for the Empire but has not done so yet. He did practice on Wednesday with quarterback Dalton Cole who played for the Sharks for a short period of time.
