Most professional sports leagues are driven by their talent pools. That’s not the case with the United Football League, as their rosters are largely fluid. This is because the UFL serves as the next stop for players on their way to the NFL or the last stop for players on their way to retirement.
Still, the players do need to get paid appropriately and their union serves as the only negotiating tool that they can employ.
Last month, an initial CBA offer from the league was deemed unacceptable by the player’s union. In response, all 24 of the UFL’s quarterbacks opted out of a training camp in February.
When CEO Daryl Johnston learned of a potential media day boycott, he allegedly issued a statement to all eight teams stating that any players who did not attend would be cut immediately.
There are procedures in place to penalize players for missing sanctioned league events, but cutting them from the league is not one of them. It is also against federal law to take action against union members for union activities.
Will There Be A Player Strike?
The first game of the 2025 UFL season is scheduled for March 28th. The league is satisfied with last year’s viewership and attendance numbers and hopes to build on them this spring.
The potential for a player strike should concern the league’s front office. The cancellation of any games during the debut weekend would be catastrophic and could derail all goodwill that the UFL has built with audiences.
Last season’s base salary for players was set at $55,000. Ultimately, the dollars have to make sense. The league can probably afford to run in the red for years one through three, but salaries must be set at a rate that the UFL can handle.
There is also the reality that eight spring football clubs were left out of the USFL-XFL merger. That means at least eight teams’ worth of talent are not currently signed to a UFL roster, creating a situation where rosters could be filled in short order.
New Rules For 2025
The league has eliminated onside kicks, instead granting teams a fourth and 12th scrimmage play from their own 28-yard line. If the team makes a first down on the play, they can retain possession and continue the drive.
Head coaches can now challenge a second call if the first challenge was successful. Any call can be challenged as long as the team has a timeout remaining.
UFL kickoffs will now start from the 30-yard line instead of the 20-yard line. The receiving team’s front ten will now lineup at the 40-yard line.