The United Football League and its players association ratified a new collective bargaining agreement following six months of talks, union officials said Friday.
Highlights of the new CBA include a raise in the minimum salary, from $55,000 to $62,005 for players who appear in all 10 regular season games, and greater access to year-round health care.
The deal, pending final approval from the UFL, is retroactive to the beginning of training camp on March 2 and runs through the end of the 2026 campaign.
“This is a reflection of the fact that the UFL and the UFPA ultimately wanted to come together to reach a sustainable deal that will ensure that spring football will be here to stay,” Harry Marino, the UFPA’s lead negotiator, told ESPN. “And as hard-fought as the negotiation was, I think this is turning the page and saying, ‘OK, now we’re going to work in partnership to make sure this thing lasts and succeeds.'”
The UFL has not yet made a public statement on the agreement.
In addition to raises and making all players eligible for health care, the new CBA also increases roster sizes, caps the number of padded practices per week (two), and establishes a bonus system for awards: $500 for player of the week, $5,000 for player of the year, $7,500 for league MVP and $5,000 for players who win the UFL championship.
–Field Level Media
