AFL Player Licensing Money Distribution

[Caballo Diablo]

Arena Football League Players Association, Legal Department
1133 20th St. NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (800) 372-2000 Fax: (202) 756-9317
To: AFL Players
From: AFLPA
RE: Licensing Distribution
Date: October 30, 2009

Pursuant to Article VII-A of the AFL/AFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement, the AFL licensed the right to use the attributes of AFL players, such as names and images, in groups of four (4) or more in connection with National League Licensing. In exchange for this right, the AFL paid the AFLPA $1 million dollars.

In September 2009, the AFLPA Executive Committee passed a resolution granting a share of the Licensing fund to each player who was paid for one or more weeks during the 2003-2008 regular seasons.

The amount of money a player is entitled to depends on the total number of weeks he was paid his full weekly salary during the 2003-2008 regular seasons. Only regular season weeks at full pay were counted – Active, Inactive, or while on IR. Pro rata pay weeks, practice squad weeks, and weeks on an unpaid roster status, such as injured-exempt, were not included.

We determined the value of each week by adding the total number of full pay weeks for all players during the 2003-2008 regular seasons (total player games). We then divided $1m by this total player games number.

For example, assume there was a total of 70,000 full pay weeks for all players over 2003-2008. We divided $1 million by 70,000 to get a “per game value” of $14.28. So, if a player did not play in 2003, 2004, or 2005, yet was paid his full salary for 16 weeks in each of the 2006-2008 seasons, he would have 48 total games at $14.28 each for a total licensing share of $685.44.

Under this distribution method, the more weeks a player was paid his full salary, the more his distribution will be.

The Licensing payment distribution will start on or about January 4, 2010. However, before we can issue a check to a qualifying player, we must verify his contact information and receive a completed IRS W-9 form. Accordingly, all players who were paid at least one full week’s salary during the 2003-2008 regular seasons, must contact James Guidry at (202) 756-9117 or by email at James.Guidry@aflplayers.org and provide contact information as well as a completed W-9 form. Completed W-9 forms can be faxed to James at (202) 756-9316, emailed to the address above, or mailed to 1133 20th St., NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036.

Players must contact James and provide a completed W-9 form by January 3, 2011 in order to receive their payment. If we receive the necessary information after that date, we will be unable to distribute a licensing share. Any money remaining in the Licensing fund after distribution will be donated to the Gene Upshaw Players’ Assistance Trust, a charity that benefits athletes in need.

If you have any questions, please contact James Guidry at the number or email above.