The CFL league office notified all of its teams that the AAF will not allow its players to sign CFL deals, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This is undoubtedly frustrating news for AAF refugees, many of whom are still without work. 
[RELATED: More AAF Players Land NFL Deals]
Over the last week, many players from the defunct AAF found deals with NFL teams. However, there are still many who are looking to stay on the NFL’s radar. For players on the fringe, the CFL is one of the best places to showcase skills, even though the north-of-the-border league mandates that players sign for at least two seasons.
The AAF, of course, is in breach of the playing contracts, so it’s surprising to hear that they still have the ability to stop players from pursuing contracts elsewhere. AAF players have not received a dime since the league halted operations earlier this month and some are said to be gearing up for a class action lawsuit against the short-lived developmental league.
Tom Dundon, the owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes and the lead investor in the AAF, made the call to shutdown the upstart league largely because they were unable to negotiate an agreement with the NFLPA. Dundon wanted practice squad and other bottom of the roster players to be allowed to play in the AAF, but a deal couldn’t be struck in time. Many have speculated that Dundon bought into the league strictly for its gambling app technology.
“Many have speculated that Dundon bought into the league strictly for its gambling app technology.” I’m sorry but for his loss of $70m while coughing up a total of $250m; couldn’t he have made his own app? Just feels like a bogus claim.
Whatever money he lost will only help him avert paying taxes in the future. Plus the intellectual property he gained from the transaction probably has the potential to net him a much bigger gain that what his put in. When you have money, you win even when you lose.
And to answer your question, no he probably couldn’t just make his own. Development of a gambling platform is probably costly and lengthy. By pulling off what he did, he “bought” the online gambling tech for a fraction of what it would have cost in a straight purchase.
If you’re correct, then the league could have sold the technology & financed the league. I don’t believe a league that had both NFL & CBS dollars, who aired the games, & a thousand plus experienced former NFL executives, were duped by 1 man.
And no way do I think he paid that money without knowing the bylaws of the NFLPA and their players. It’s too clumsy of an excuse by all parties.
I’d love to hear the reasons or rationale for this move, because on the surface this seems like an audaciously stupid move by the league.
If there’s no more league then there’s no more contracts. Sign ’em if you got ’em CFL prospects. No judge will allow the AAF to sue you, and they can’t afford it anyway.
Scumbag move by the AAF people
Makes no sense.
Someone who has moved on is less likely to sue.
AAF pretty much forcing legal action upon themselves
Well if they still are paying them then who cares.
They aren’t being paid. They haven’t gotten any money from the AAF since the day the league shut down.
Exactly ! They voided the players non-guarenteed contracts! They can sign for whatever team they want to.
Spring football is useless. XFL is next
Who’s next, the Arena League?
Wow, the AAF just brought back slavery…..
If the AAF isn’t paying the players, then they are no doubt in breach of the contracts signed by the players. Therefore, the players can sign with whomever they want… in addition, the audacity of a defunct league to declare that the players cannot sign contracts with another league is incredible in so many ways. I wish the players representatives (I assume they have agents?) would speak out against this.
I’m not sure many AAF refugees would even want to play in the CFL. The Canadian game is much different for starters with only 3 downs. Then there is the weather to consider. If you have ever been in Edmonton during November enjoying balmy -20 degree temperatures you know what I’m talking about. Thirdly the Canuk looney is worth about 75% of what an American dollar is valued at so nobody is going to be getting rich.