Report: Players Association Rejects Suspension (updated 11:15pm ET)

Adam Markowitz
Monday December 15, 2008

ArenaFan has learned that the Arena Football League Players Association (AFLPA) through its Executive Board has voted against suspending the 2009 season.

The AFLPA is expected to meet again tomorrow to discuss further matters.

On Sunday, the Board elected to suspend operations for 2009, but that suspension was contingent on the approval of the PA.

An unnamed team representative for the AFLPA told ArenaFan that the Executive Board for the AFLPA has not requested a revote of the owners. The source went on to state that the players are under belief that the vote for the Orlando Predators was not made by the majority owner, and that a minority owner gave their vote to a different team.

The vote for suspending the season passed the Board of Directors by just one vote.

There is also apparently a division in the branches of the PA.  The source explained that the Executive Board members voted on behalf of the team representatives, who in turn represent the 24 players on each team.  The source said that he found out about the Executive Board meeting online, and described the communication between the branches of the PA as, “out of whack.”

ArenaFan asked the source what the next course of action is for the players, and he stated, “There’s no communication… We don’t know when the Executives are meeting… There is no plan of action for [the AFLPA] at this point.”

He also added, “Some of the player reps were told, ‘It’s a wrap.  It’s over.’”

Multiple sources have told ArenaFan that the Board is still expected to convene once again later this week.

ArenaFan will continue to update the situation as more becomes available.