Sports teams take on the personality of their owner. Well, at least one does.
The National Arena League has kicked out the Albany Empire, owned by former NFL receiver Antonio Brown.
“After exhausting all avenues, the NAL board of owners have decided unanimously to terminate the membership agreement of the Albany Empire,” the league said in a statement. “The decision was reached after an emergency conference call of the members in good standing to discuss the Empire’s failure to pay their league mandated and overdue assessments. Each team is responsible to pay for 1/7 of the league’s operating budget via monthly assessments starting in April. The Empire’s owner, Antonio Brown, was also fined $1,000 for Conduct Detrimental to the League for his recent public comments. Mr. Brown refused to pay that fine.”
The team was given until noon ET on Thursday to make its required payment. It failed to do so, and the team was removed from the league.
Last night, Brown gave a rambling, shirtless press conference during which he wondered whether A.B. would pay A.B. $1 million to play. How have the negotiations been going?
“I’ve been trying to talk to him, and the guy’s got like three different personalities,” Brown said, regarding A.B.
That pretty much says it all.
