The Antonio Brown-owned Albany Empire of the National Arena League are in complete disarray after players weren’t paid Friday, leading to a postgame incident on the bus Sunday that led to the suspension of several players and the departure of coach Damon Ware, according to published reports.
Brown, the former NFL star receiver, owns 95 percent of the team. According to the Albany Times-Union, players and coaches were last paid on April 21. The payments are typically made each Friday.
“Nobody has been paid,” Ware wrote in a comment on a Facebook post. “If you disagreed with that, you were a problem. I am certainly not desperate enough to coach for free. I love what Coach (Tom) Menas and I built over the last few years. Sending my love and prayers.”
The Empire dropped a 56-49 decision to the Carolina Cobras on Sunday in Greensboro, N.C., and then a heated exchange occurred on the bus ride back to New York. Several players, including quarterback Sam Castronova and receiver Darius Prince, were reportedly involved.
Unhappiness apparently continued once the team reached a hotel in Albany.
Acting Empire president Alberony Denis told the Times-Union that Albany police responded to a report of aggravated harassment at the hotel on Monday at 9:40 a.m. ET.
According to Denis, reigning league MVP Prince and Castronova are among the suspended players. The others are defensive back Dwayne Hollis, linebacker Nick Haag and linemen Melvin Hollins and Brandon Sesay.
Albany won the past two NAL titles but is just 1-2 this season during Brown’s first season of ownership.
Ware is the second coach to depart already this season. Tom Menas, the coach of the two title teams, was fired just prior to the start of the campaign with Brown saying he made the move because he wanted to take the team in a different direction.
–Field Level Media