The AAF is facing another obstacle to their growth. In fact this may be a killing blow to this young exciting league. The obstacle? None other than the NFLPA. That said, there have been reports going both ways that have muddied the waters.
The AAF has been in talks with the NFL for the last couple of weeks trying to get a deal with them to use the NFL practice squad players. For awhile it seemed all things were working out. A win/win. NFL teams would get an opportunity to make sure that their practice squad players were being developed in actual game situations. With an added benefit that they would get to evaluate them in real-time situations and know where they best fit when the time comes for them to be added back to a NFL roster.
All good right? Not so much after the NFLPA stepped in. Their reasoning? Apparently it is centered around “injury concerns”. Sorry, but I’m not buying it. The players are insured, and the cost is negated by the experience earned. The truth probably is that they don’t want to play for less money than they would earn on the bench. Wanting to get paid is warranted, and it is easy to be somewhat sympathetic toward that..
In my opinion, isn’t it better to get time in a game rather than to be forgotten on the bench and not fine tuning your skills? One of the major complaints from players trying to make a roster is their lack of ball time. This attitude against playing in the AAF though does not solidify that stance at all. In fact it says quite the opposite.
Hopefully the NFLPA finds a way to accommodate both sides. The AAF has been a breath of fresh air in a stagnate time for sports (football), and it would be a shame to see such an exciting league shut down over this issue.
Update:
That’s of course if the AAF isn’t bluffing in an attempt to get better leverage in negotiations per Benjamin Allbright. As according to Allbright the league is not in danger of closing down. This was supposedly a negotiation ploy used by the primary owner of the AAF, Dundon.
Don’t forget to catch the Orlando Apollos watch party at Fergs in St Pete with host Peter H Blake.
Written by: Johnny Dean
