The UFL, which began its season on Sept. 26, and which not too long ago signed a coverage deal for an undisclosed amount (nothing? a complimentary hat?) with CBS Sports, has canceled the second half of its season, as of today.
As the Virginian-Pilot noted earlier this month, players and coaches were going uncompensated. Back in 2010, an average UFLer could expect to earn about $50,000 for eight weeks of action—this year, it was down to "$28,000 in eight installments of $3,500," and at least a couple of the four UFL teams couldn't pay that. Even Marty Schottenheimer wasn't getting his checks.
It never had the profile or retro flair of the USFL, it never had had the funny rule changes, or high scores, or Bon Jovi ownership of the Indoor Football League, and now, despite providing a landing spot for stars as illustrious as Jeff Garcia and Maurice Clarett, it's probably dead. The first game of the UFL season came the day before the NFL reached an agreement with its refs to come in and relieve the replacement referees. When that happened, the faint glimmer of hope that fans might protest the league and look for non-NFL pro football faded away. Someone give Brian Banks another job.
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