Tuesday, February 19, 2019

"AAF founder Charlie Ebersol refutes report league needed to be bailed out by NHL owner"

Orlando Sentinel:
it was so disconcerting late Monday night when The Athletic reported the league was already in dire financial straits and needed to be bailed out by an emergency $250 million investment from Dundon — the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Charlie Ebersol, the CEO and co-founder of the AAF, told the Orlando Sentinel on Tuesday his fledgling league was never in any serious financial jeopardy — directly contradicting The Athletic report the league was “running short on cash” and needed an influx of money to avoid the possibility of being unable to make payroll.

Darren Rovell, the reputed sports business reporter for Action Network, tweeted out Tuesday, “The AAF missed payroll in Week 1. They told agents that it was a glitch with switching to a new administrator. They told players they would be paid by today.”

In fact, league players, including those who play for the Apollos, were supposed to be paid on Friday and were paid on Tuesday. Ebersol told the Sentinel that the league always had the money to meet payroll and has never been in any financial jeopardy.

This is where we get to the point in this column in which you can believe and perceive whatever you want.