After all 24 UFL quarterbacks boycotted a pre-training camp gathering last week, a strike is looking less likely.
According to a report by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, “most if not all players showed up on Sunday for a conditioning test.” Training camp opened Monday, and it’s assumed that those players, while not necessarily happy with their compensation packages, will not strike.
Florio does, however, leave open the possibility of a strike closer to the start of the season later this month, when the players have more leverage. Striking closer to the beginning of the season “would make it harder for the UFL to put together eight rosters of replacement players,” Florio says.
The prevailing thought according to the report is that the UFL players are not willing to deprive themselves of an opportunity to play, thereby limiting their chances at earning an NFL roster spot during the preseason.
Per previous reporting by Sports Business Journal, UFL players received a base salary of $55,000 for the league’s first season last year, and received a “negligible” increase to their compensation for this season. The UFL Players Association sent a letter to league executives last week saying that the offers were “unacceptable and insulting.”
The spring football league is set to kickoff on March 28, assuming the players are willing to play. Games are largely given prominent television windows on Fox and ABC, with some games airing on ESPN and FS1.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.