• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
The biggest names in sports media. All in one room. Get your ticket now!

The NFL Could Have Owned Part of AAF Before Collapse

  • The NFL would’ve had the option to acquire 15% of the now-defunct AAF.
  • It could have opened the door for the AAF to be an official developmental league for the NFL.
Alliance of American Football (AAF) team at line of scrimmage before start of a play
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Had the Alliance of American Football survived past one season, the NFL might have owned a piece of the now-defunct league.

A complaint filed by the trustees overseeing the AAF’s bankruptcy against former AAF owner Tom Dundon highlights that the league and the NFL had a “binding term sheet” in place that would issue warrants for an NFL subsidiary to acquire a 15% stake in Ebersol Sports Media Group — the original owner of the AAF.

The warrants would give the NFL the option — but not the obligation — to buy that portion of the AAF for a previously agreed price before a set expiration date.

Carolina Hurricanes Owner Sued for Pro Football League’s Demise

The Alliance of American Football continues to be dogged by legal disputes.
November 15, 2022

Under the term sheet, the AAF would also “spin out its technology development and products over time to a technology company that would provide the NFL access to those products.”

It all could have opened the door for the AAF to be an official developmental league for the NFL — but the former shuttered its operations in April 2019, two weeks before the end of its inaugural regular season.

Dundon — also the owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes — is being sued by the trustees for at least $184 million for shutting the league down when there were allegedly still financial alternatives to save it.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Frontloaded NFL Schedule Makes TV Ratings Surge Very Likely

The season’s first month is filled with high-profile national games.

Roger Goodell: NFL’s Next Frontier Is More Games, More Countries

The commissioner has pushed for an 18-game season since last spring.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, left, and singer-songwriter Taylor Swift appear at the Kansas City Classic season opening game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Nebraska Cornhuskers, Aug. 28, 2025, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. This is the first time the couple have appeared in the public since their engagement.

Roger Goodell Says Taylor Swift a ‘Maybe’ for Super Bowl LX

Halftime show announcements have recently been made in September.
opinion

Bill and Jordon’s Excellent Adventure Already Unraveling

Belichick’s debut was a humiliation rather than a coronation.

Featured Today

Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) celebrate their touchdown pass during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field.

TV Ratings Just Changed Again. The NFL Will Be the Big Winner

Nielsen’s new viewership system will have a big impact on sports.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) after a touchdown catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.
August 30, 2025

The Most Expensive Roster Year in College Football History

The House settlement created revenue-sharing—and a big NIL loophole.
August 26, 2025

‘You’re Going to Get Beat Up’: The Liberty’s All-Male Practice Squad

A select group suits up weekly to take on the defending champs.
August 24, 2025

The Honey Deuce Effect: How Tennis Perfected the Signature Cocktail

Sold every 1.5 seconds, they total more than $12 million in sales.

Scheffler, McIlroy, but No LIV at Trump Jupiter Made-for-TV Showcase

The eight-player team showcase will take place Dec. 17 in primetime.
September 3, 2025

Barcelona, AC Milan Abroad? Fan Groups Reject Travel Plans

Supporter groups warn of a “Pandora’s box” if overseas games happen.
Caitlin Clark
September 3, 2025

Podcast Deletes Episode With Big3 Announcer’s Claim of $15M Caitlin Clark Offer

Clark’s WNBA contract was less than $80,000 in her first season.
Sponsored

Gareth Bale on MLS vs EPL, Retirement & Buying Cardiff City

Gareth Bale shares his post-soccer business playbook.
Fever
September 3, 2025

Fever at Risk of Missing WNBA Playoffs Ahead of Wild Final Week

Four teams are fighting for three spots.
September 2, 2025

NFL’s 16-Game International Slate of Games Nears Reality

The league will play a record seven games outside the U.S. this season.
September 2, 2025

Liverpool’s $598M Transfer Spree: End of the Title Race Already?

A deal for Swedish striker Alexander Isak highlights a record outlay.
September 1, 2025

Osaka Ousts Gauff As American Presence at US Open Dwindles

Gauff’s exit shifts spotlight to Pegula, Anisimova, and Fritz at US Open.