UFPA Voted by UFL Players as Official Players Union for 2025 Season
UFL players have a new union player’s union representing them for the 2025 UFL season.
On Friday, the players voted on the United Football Players Association as the official players union for the upcoming season.
“We started this journey five years ago fighting for transparency. Yesterday we got elected to be the ones at the table,” UFPA president Kenneth Farrow said. “To all the fellas that have opened emails, hopped on zoom calls and had countless conversations over the last five years, this one is for us!”
“Even as I start a new journey in business, I'm thankful for the opportunity to continue giving back to others in the game, and be involved with @UnitedFBPlayers,” former Memphis Showboats general manager and current UFPA executive staff member Dennis Polian said. “Being asked to be part of a group so dedicated to others' success on and off the field is humbling.”
Congratulations Fellas,
— United Football Players Association (@UnitedFBPlayers) October 11, 2024
Let the real work begin 🛡️ pic.twitter.com/4XKAK1wpG4
In August, the players lost the backing of the United Steelworkers after the group withdrew their partnership with the UFL. United Steelworkers president Dartez Jac told players in a statement to be cautious with their next selection but ensured they should be unionized.
The conversation on whether to unionize was ongoing during the 2023 offseason, and St. Louis Battlehawks quarterback A.J. McCarron shared his concerns about having a union. The USFL and XFL were on different sides of unionization, as USFL players were more for it, while XFL players stayed away from it prior to the UFL merger.
The next steps for the UFPA will be for the group to reach out to players regarding meetings that will discuss player representative elections, bylaws and constitution adoption, along with votes and bargaining committee strategy meetings.
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