Editing Arena Football League (section)

===Players compensation===
For most of the 1990s, the average annual salary for an arena football player was around $22,000<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/1999/08/02/focus3.html|title=Mustang players trade in football uniforms for business suits in off season|author=Hopp, Jessica|date=August 11, 1999|work=Milwaukee Business Journal}}</ref> plus additional bonuses for victories and postseason awards,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ipmall.law.unh.edu/sites/default/files/hosted_resources/SportsEntLaw_Institute/Employment%20Contracts%20Between%20Players%20&%20Their%20Teams/Arena%20Football%20League%20Standard%20Player%20Contract.pdf |title=Arena Football League Standard Player Contract, 1995 season |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171207065422/https://ipmall.law.unh.edu/sites/default/files/hosted_resources/SportsEntLaw_Institute/Employment%20Contracts%20Between%20Players%20&%20Their%20Teams/Arena%20Football%20League%20Standard%20Player%20Contract.pdf |archive-date=December 7, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> without injury benefits.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/pa-commonwealth-court/1332253.html|title=FindLaw's Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania case and opinions.|website=Findlaw|accessdate=March 11, 2023}}</ref> In 2000, a group of players filed a class-action antitrust suit against the AFL claiming "price-fixed salaries" by league teams and requesting injury compensation,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-feb-05-sp-61270-story.html|title=Arena League Players File Suit|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=February 5, 2000}}</ref> which led to the league owners threatening to cancel the upcoming season, and requested to negotiate a [[Collective agreement|collective bargaining agreement]] (CBA) in order to elude [[United States antitrust laws]]. To avoid season cancellation, a new group called the "Arena Football League Players' Organizing Committee" (which later became the "Arena Football League Players Association"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nlrb.gov/case/12-CB-004875|title=Arena Football League Players Association, (Arena Football League, and its Member Clubs) &#124; National Labor Relations Board|website=www.nlrb.gov|accessdate=March 11, 2023}}</ref>) was formed, which represented the majority of AFL players, and negotiated the AFL's first CBA with league owners as the acting [[Labor unions in the United States|labor union]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2000-03-02-0003020211-story.html|title=Entering a new arena|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|date=March 2, 2000}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://buffalonews.com/news/arena-football-league-reverses-its-field-saves-2000-season/article_5c604ead-46b1-5a47-8155-76559c8e5dc1.html|title=Arena Football League reverses its field, saves 2000 season|work=[[The Buffalo News]]|date=March 2, 2000}}</ref> The union negotiated reduced free agent eligibility (from eight years to four), year-round health care for players and their immediate families, improved safety measures (including replacement of playing fields), raising the average player's salary to $35,000 (and average team payroll to $700,000 from $540,000 in 1999 season) and a [[401(k)]] retirement plan, in exchange for a "hard" [[salary cap]] of $1,375,000 per team for the 2001 season (but with a salary cap exception for "[[Franchise player|Franchise Players]]"), which included player salaries, win bonuses, player health and insurance coverage and a player housing allowance.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.prosportsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/afl_settlement_agreement.pdf|title=AFL Settlement Agreement|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210903234901/https://www.prosportsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/afl_settlement_agreement.pdf|archive-date=September 3, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jul-15-sp-53389-story.html|title=Arena League Owners, Union Come to Terms|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=July 15, 2000}}</ref>

In 2003, the league agreed to "freeze" the salary cap in a new CBA at $1,643,000 for 2003 season, with increases for the following years: $1,684,075 (2004), $1,743,018 (2005), $1,821,453 (2006), $1,921,633 (2007), $2,036,931 (2008), $2,179,517 (2009) and $2,332,083 (2010).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.prosportsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/afl_cba.pdf |title=AFL/AFLPA CBA Term Sheet |date=October 14, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717161832/https://www.prosportsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/afl_cba.pdf |archive-date=July 17, 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> The CBA also stated that the owners would not be able to lower the cap until the agreement expires. Players were also eligible for housing stipend if they resided year-round within 75 miles of the team's home arena.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.prosportsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/aflindex.pdf |title=Arena Football League Standard Player Contract |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422143610/https://www.prosportsgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/aflindex.pdf |archive-date=April 22, 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> By 2009, the league minimum salary was $31,000 and $80,000 on average ($125,000 for quarterbacks),<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/arena-football-league-players-cry-foul-owners-survive-shutdown-article-1.423904 |title=Arena Football League players cry foul at owners, try to survive shutdown|website=[[New York Daily News]]|date=January 21, 2009 }}</ref> while the highest-paid player was [[Tony Graziani]], with a salary of over $200,000, including bonuses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/extra/afl/news/story?id=2779526|title=Plenty to learn and like about AFL|date=February 25, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=A team Bednarik could love|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=caple/050203|website=ESPN Page2}}</ref>

The increased salaries were a major factor in the decision to go dormant for the 2009 season, after failed attempts by the owners to cancel the CBA, as several teams reported losing $2 million a year. It was believed that they were hoping for a plan similar to one used by the [[af2]], which operated as a single-tax entity,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-04-06 |title=McCarthy: AFL's future still in doubt |url=https://www.espn.com/extra/afl/news/story?id=4046521  |website=ESPN |first1= Jack |last1=McCarthy |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718133636/https://www.espn.com/extra/afl/news/story?id=4046521 |archive-date= Jul 18, 2021 }}</ref> or launching a new 11-man outdoor development league called the '''United National Gridiron League''' to replace the recently defunct [[NFL Europe]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/2008/12/16/darrell-k-bedford/63042591007/|title=Darrell K. Bedford|date=Dec 15, 2008 |website=Peoria Journal Star|accessdate=March 11, 2023}}</ref> When the af2 took over as the new AFL and relaunched in 2010, players were paid $400 per game,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20150829/SPORTS/801252189 |title=Winning the only payoff for Arena Football League players |date=Aug 29, 2015  |website=The Florida Times-Union |first1= Gene |last1=Frenette |access-date=July 17, 2021 |archive-date=July 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717163333/https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20150829/SPORTS/801252189 |url-status=dead }}</ref> similar to the af2.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2009/aug/22/arena-football-attracts-lovers-and-dreamers/ |title=They play arena football for love, not money|date=August 22, 2009 |first1=Steve |last1=Silver |website=Las Vegas Sun |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240212173736/https://lasvegassun.com/news/2009/aug/22/arena-football-attracts-lovers-and-dreamers/ |archive-date= Feb 12, 2024 }}</ref> Three players on each team were eligible for designation as a "franchise" player, and received a salary of $1,000 per game.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-xpm-2011-05-25-os-orlando-predators-nfl-lockout-20110525-story.html|title=No sympathy for NFL: Arena Football players live in world of $400 paychecks|website=Orlando Sentinel|date=May 25, 2011 |first1=Austin |last1=Lyon |accessdate=March 11, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326194542/https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-xpm-2011-05-25-os-orlando-predators-nfl-lockout-20110525-story.html |archive-date= Mar 26, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sportsagentblog.com/2011/05/19/united-football-league-canadian-football-league-or-arena-football-league/|title=United Football League, Canadian Football League, or Arena Football League|date=May 26, 2011 |accessdate=March 11, 2023}}</ref> The league also offered financial aid for housing and meal expenses.

In 2012, the players formed a new union called the "Arena Football League Players Union" (AFLPU),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nlrb.gov/case/17-CB-074958|title=Arena Football League Players Union (Arena Football One, LLC) &#124; National Labor Relations Board|website=www.nlrb.gov|accessdate=March 11, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aflpu.org/about/|title=About|accessdate=March 11, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=AFL players score hefty raise in new CBA|url=https://archive.triblive.com/news/afl-players-score-hefty-raise-in-new-cba/#axzz3DKLd93NU|website=TribLive.com}}</ref> and signed a new CBA that stated that all players would be paid equally: $830 per game for a "veteran" player and $775 for "rookies" plus a housing plan and three meals a day, with quarterbacks earning an extra $250 per start.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/22/arena-football-league-dreams-following-jay-grudens/ |title=In Arena Football League, dreams of following Jay Gruden's path|website=[[The Washington Times]]|author=Boyer, Zac|date=July 22, 2014}}</ref> The salary would increase gradually to $925 and $870 (respectively) until 2017, the last year of the CBA.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sportsagentblog.com/2012/10/11/a-look-at-the-arena-football-leagues-new-collective-bargaining-agreement/|title=A Look At The Arena Football League's New Collective Bargaining Agreement|accessdate=March 11, 2023}}</ref> In the last CBA, a new salary cap was put in place ($438,480) with a salary "floor" of $340,000 for a 14-game season, and a $501,120 cap with a $388,576 floor for a 16-game season. Players signed one-year contracts,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sportstalkphilly.com/2019/03/arena-football-league-announces-2019-free-agency-training-camp-schedules.html |title=Arena Football League Announces 2019 Free Agency, Training Camp Schedules|date=March 2, 2019 }}</ref> as veteran "compensation range" was $1,100–1,455 per game, while rookies earned between $650 and $1,000 a game.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.aflpu.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/AFL_CBA_2018-2021.pdf |title= AFL/AFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement, September 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717161833/https://www.aflpu.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/AFL_CBA_2018-2021.pdf |archive-date=July 17, 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition, player could earn up to $1,000 every year for local business appearances, while per-diem allowance were $41-a-day. In case of a mid-season trade players would have got $500 for moving costs.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Average Salary of Philadelphia Soul Coach and Team Players|url=https://philly-injury-law.com/philadelphia-souls-coach-and-team-players-average-salary/|website=Philadelphia Injury Lawyers P.C.|date=April 27, 2018|access-date=April 12, 2024|archive-date=November 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231130002903/https://philly-injury-law.com/philadelphia-souls-coach-and-team-players-average-salary/|url-status=dead}}</ref>