UFL, UFL players sign CBA through 2026

The UFL officially has labor peace.

The spring league announced on Monday that a new Collective Bargaining Agreement has been signed with the UFL Players Association. The agreement runs through 2026.

Among other things, the new agreement increases salaries and provides full-year health insurance.

“We have reached a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the UFPA," UFL president and CEO Russ Brandon said. "We look forward to continuing to work with our players to grow professional spring football at the UFL.”

It was critical to avoid a work stoppage or other labor issues. For both sides. The UFL still faces a steep uphill climb to become sustainable over the long haul. If there's no league, it doesn't matter what the players are getting paid.

The main measurements are down from last year to this year. This weekend, the St. Louis Battlehawks slipped under 30,000 fans for a home game for the first time since the UFL launched in 2024. The Houston Roughnecks drew a paltry 4,134 for a Week 6 game against the Memphis Showboats.

Viewing audiences are down as well. And while it's easy to blame the small numbers on the fact that every weekend of the UFL season has had plenty of other sports on TV, the same alternatives existed in 2024.

We hope the UFL finds its footing. We hope it can cultivate some star power. It's not nearly enough to play games that are almost as good as NFL action. To thrive — and before that, survive — the UFL needs to get people to seek out the games.

The biggest challenge, for all spring football leagues past, present, and future, is a simple one. It's difficult to get people to care about football when it's not football season.