Months after winning a championship, the Albany Empire football team and the Arena Football League are officially done.
The Arena Football League said in a statement Wednesday it is filing for bankruptcy and ceasing operations. Local operations were already halted in October.
The Arena Football League has issued the following statement. pic.twitter.com/sFTtdAWRQV
— Arena Football League (@OfficialAFL) November 27, 2019
The league blamed liabilities related to a multimillion dollar lawsuit filed by an insurance carrier that covered the league from 2009 to 2012.
Saying he was disappointed, Times Union Center General Manager Bob Belber tells WAMC that fans who bought season tickets for 2020 will receive refunds in the coming days. Belber says the arena is working on signing a new sports tenant, but it’s too early to discuss specifics.
The Albany Empire led the league in attendance in 2018 and 2019 and won the ArenaBowl in August. It’s the city’s third arena football franchise to call it quits.
