Antonio Brown's Albany Empire Kicked out of National Arena League; Failed to Pay Dues

The Albany Empire, owned primarily by former Pro Bowl wide receiver Antonio Brown, have been kicked out of the National Arena League.

Per a release from the league, the NAL board of owners unanimously voted to terminate the Empire's membership after their "failure to pay their league mandated and overdue assessments."

The release notes teams are required to pay 1/7 of the NAL's operating budget via monthly assessments starting in April:

"After acquiring the Albany Empire, new team owner Antonio Brown paid the Empire's April assessment. The team then failed to make their May 15th assessment payment and last week just before the Empire's game in Orlando, the league was notified that the April assessment was being challenged. That payment was subsequently credited back to Mr Brown. The league informed his accountant, Alex Gunaris, who in previous communications requested that the league communicate directly with Mr Gunaris regarding financial obligations with the Empire. Mr Gunaris was informed of the league's attempts to collect the delinquent assessments and he communicated to the league that it didn't seem like Mr Brown was going to pay the assessment or fine."

Brown bought a majority ownership stake in the franchise on April 19. He even told Abigail Rubel of the Albany Times-Union on April 16 he owned "100 percent" of the club. The league's announcement noted Charlotte and Steve von Schiller retained a 5 percent ownership stake.

Even though the league announced Brown's ownership, his representatives provided documentation to Rubel last month disputing his stake in the team.

"According to documents provided to the Times Union by Brown's camp," Rubel wrote on May 3, "the team is owned by Antonio El-Allah Express Trust Enterprise, and Brown has no personal ownership or control over the team."

Per Rubel's May 3 report, Empire president Alberony Denis said he and Brown are representatives of Antonio El-Allah Express Trust Enterprise. That came after a lawyer named Marlon Oliveira told Denis in a phone call a foreign citizen named Antonio El-Allah is the trustee.

Brown tweeted a video of himself on May 7 appearing to sign paychecks for Empire players:

Rubel received a copy of an email letter from Brown to Denis about the situation:

"I Brown, Antonio Tavaris a foreign national but not a citizen of the United States at birth, am writing to you regarding recent reports that have been circulating in the media regarding my supposed ownership of the Albany Empire team. I want to make it very clear that I am not the owner of this team, and any claims to the contrary are completely false.

"As you may know, I am involved with the ANTONIO EL-ALLAH EXPRESS TRUST ENTERPRISE (a 'trust'), which is a separate entity from myself. While the Trust have 100 percent ownership stake in the ALBANY EMPIRE, I myself do not have any ownership or control over the team."

Rubel noted one version of that letter is digitally signed by someone named John Williams, identified as "Foreign Trustee, For Antonio El-Allah Express trust on behalf of: Antonio Tavaris Brown."

According to Rubel, Antonio El-Allah Express Trust Enterprise is connected to a different entity, Big Boomin Investment Co. LLC, which was established by Brown in Dubai for investments.

Brown has also been fined $1,000 by the league for his "recent public comments," but he is refusing to pay the fine.

The National Arena League is in its sixth season of operations. Albany joined the league in 2021 after previously spending two seasons in the Arena Football League in 2018 and 2019.

All seven teams in the league have played at least seven games during the 2023 NAL season. The league is adjusting the remainder of its schedule to account for Albany's departure.