Antonio Brown Hit With Class-Action Lawsuit From Staff & Players Of His National Arena League Team

More trouble from the failed Antonio Brown partnership with the National Arena League (NAL).

Less than a week after his team, the Albany Empire, was kicked out of the league for not making mandatory payments to the league, members of the Empire plan to file a class-action lawsuit against Brown, head coach Moe Leggett told The Times-Union.  

“I’m frustrated,” Leggett said. “I’m frustrated. I tried to give (Brown) the benefit of the doubt. I tried to work with him. I was trying to be the peacemaker, the mediator, to make sure things ran smoothly and just under the radar. But I can no longer do that.”

After players and staff were paid for their last game against Orlando, someone posted a screenshot of the payment being reversed on June 21, 2023, in a group chat. Leggett said the picture caused him to check his bank account the following day—the payment he initially received was deducted from his account.

Leggett also mentioned he attempted to contact Brown, Brown’s accountant Alex Gunaris, and team president Alberony Denis but was unsuccessful. 

Fabian Guerra, an Empire wide receiver, was picked up by the Massachusetts Pirates, an Indoor Football League team based in Worcester, MA. Although he had a casual relationship with Brown, he said he would join the class-action lawsuit to get his money back.

“I feel like this was his plan all along,” Guerra said. “I feel like he does stuff for social media and to sell his songs. I think it’s just what he does. That’s the type of guy he is. No one trusts him anymore. I see it hard for him to get any future deals going because of how he is as a person.”

After Brown refused to pay the National Arena League the required 1/7 of the league’s operating budget, the team’s board of owners unanimously agreed to terminate the membership agreement of the Albany Empire.