The United Football League is set to kick off its second regular season later this month. A player strike might prevent it. All 24 quarterbacks who populate the league skipped out on a preseason position camp, per Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal.
As shared by Awful Announcing, the group sent a letter to the league outlining their concerns as they seek a pay raise.
“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 [sic] of that proposal and the message that is sent to us as players.”
Notable quarterbacks include Matt Corral of the Birmingham Stallions, Danny Etling of the Michigan Panthers, No. 1 draft pick Jason Bean of the Memphis Showboats, and Anthony Brown of the Houston Roughnecks.
Per AA, the players are also fighting for full-time health benefits. A timeline for a resolution isn’t clear.
The UFL was largely a success in 2024, a spring league able to survive into its second year. Ratings were acceptable and some fanbases turned out, most notably the St. Louis Battlehawks’ faithful, a town without an NFL team since the Rams moved to Los Angeles. But this spring has been met by obstacles.
Season ticket numbers have severely fallen below expectations, leading the league to fire two of its ticketing executives, according to Pro Football Newsroom. The article outlines some cities are below a 40-percent renewal rate, including in St. Louis. Spring leagues have had difficulty sustaining, largely due to financial insolvency and the difficulty of getting a new football league off the ground.
The UFL was the combination of the XFL and USFL. The Pittsburgh Maulers folded as part of the merger.
If a strike is averted, the league will kickoff March 28. Notable ex-Steelers on rosters include: WR Deon Cain, NT Carlos Davis, DB Tre Norwood, K Matt McCrane, and S Jalen Elliott. All saw regular season action with Pittsburgh during their career.
