AAF co-founder Bill Polian says high costs mainly caused the AAF to suspend operations and there is only room for one professional football league. (1:07)

After eight weeks of games and less than one season into Alliance of American Football's existence, league owner Tom Dundon has decided to suspend all operations, league co-founder Bill Polian confirmed to ESPN's Chris Mortensen on Tuesday.

"I am extremely disappointed to learn Tom Dundon has decided to suspend all football operations of the Alliance of American Football," Polian said in a statement Tuesday. "When Mr. Dundon took over, it was the belief of my co-founder, Charlie Ebersol, and myself that we would finish the season, pay our creditors, and make the necessary adjustments to move forward in a manner that made economic sense for all.

AAF statistical leaders The Alliance of American Football gave players a chance to prove their worth to NFL teams. Here's who were leading key statistical categories at the time of the league suspending operations: Coach wins Steve Spurrier, ORL 7 Pass yards Garrett Gilbert, ORL 2,152 Pass TDs John Wolford, ARI 14 Rush yards Jhurrell Pressley, ARI 431 Rush TDs Trent Richardson, BIR 11 Rec. yards Charles Johnson, ORL 687 Rec. TDs Rashad Ross, ARI 7 Tackles DeMarquis Gates, MEM 52 Sacks Jayrone Elliott, SA 7.5 INTS Three players tied 4

"The momentum generated by our players, coaches and football staff had us well positioned for future success. Regrettably, we will not have that opportunity."

The league had been struggling from the outset. After the first week of the season, Dundon -- owner of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes -- pledged a $250 million investment and essentially took command of the AAF.

The league shot down reports that it needed the money to stay afloat. Instead, sources told ESPN at the time that there was an issue with the payroll company the league was using.

"I sincerely regret that many that believed in this project will see their hopes and efforts unrewarded," Polian said in his statement Tuesday. "They gave their best for which I am deeply grateful. Unfortunately, Mr. Dundon has elected this course of action."

Employees were notified of the decision in a letter from the AAF board on Tuesday afternoon, according to The Associated Press.

The letter, obtained by The Associated Press, gave no reason for ending the inaugural season, only that the decision was made "after careful consideration." It also said a small staff would remain to seek new investment capital and "restructure our business. Should those efforts prove successful, we look forward to working with many of you on season two."

Players are being forced to pay for their own travel back home, a source told ESPN, confirming an SI.com report.

Despite a litany of issues, ratings had remained fairly consistent for the league, with between 400,000 and 500,000 viewers often tuning in for games, according to ratings reports. And the league got a bump in attention after Johnny Manziel signed last month and was allocated to Memphis.

Manziel offered some advice to AAF players on Twitter with Tuesday's news.

If you're an AAF player and the league does dissolve. The last check you got will be the last one that you get. No lawsuit or anything else will get you your bread. Save your money and keep your head up. It's the only choice at this point unless something drastic happens. — Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) April 2, 2019

Just the reality of this unfortunate situation.. great concept, good football on the field and fun for fans to watch. Just not enough money to go around which has been the main problem with "other" leagues for a long time. — Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) April 2, 2019

The league signed all players to three-year, non-guaranteed contracts worth $70,000 in the first year, $80,000 in the second year and $100,000 in the third year. The hope, Polian said, was that the league would send players to the NFL.

In his statement Tuesday, Polian said he'll do "all I can" to help the league's players achieve that.

"My thanks go out to all who made our football product so competitive and professional," Polian said. "I am certain there are many among them destined for future success in the NFL and I look forward to doing all I can to help them in their quest."

Ebersol told ESPN in January that they had structured the league around a "sober business plan" because he believed he had learned lessons from his father, Dick Ebersol, who helped run the first version of the XFL.

Problems, however, popped up surrounding the nascent league that was trying to be a complement to the NFL.

Due to insurance issues, the Orlando Apollos had to move their practices three hours away to Kingsland, Georgia.

Orlando coach Steve Spurrier, whose team leads the league with a 7-1 record, told reporters Tuesday that it was "sad to end this way."

"We're all disappointed, but on the other side, we got to be the champs, right?" Spurrier told reporters. "We're 7-1 and the next teams are 5-3. Some of us didn't get into the Alliance to advance our careers, but the players ... I'm more disappointed for all the players that believe, 'This is my chance to show people this, that and the other that I can play this game.'

"And a lot of them will get opportunities. They've shown enough."

As for his future, Spurrier said to The State: "If I never coach again, I went out a winner. ... But for the players and the assistant coaches, it's a bummer."

Additionally, the league and Charlie Ebersol were sued by Robert Vanech, with Vanech claiming Ebersol cut him out of the idea for the league and then denied him credit. As part of the civil suit, Vanech released a document that appeared to be a business plan for the league -- including wanting to approach Vince McMahon for usage of the XFL name.

Instead, McMahon decided to restart his own league; it is scheduled to launch next year.

The AAF last month also moved its title game from Las Vegas to Frisco, Texas. UNLV, which owns Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, told ESPN after a public records request, "There was no signed agreement between UNLV and the Alliance of American Football/Legendary Field Exhibitions, LLC." The game was expected to be played there, though, as Sam Boyd Stadium had been selling tickets on its website as late as the day it was announced the game would be moving.

Even back in training camp, the league wouldn't allow independent reporters to view preseason games in San Antonio.

The AAF also had intriguing rule changes, including a mic'd-up replay official and eliminating kickoffs and extra points. The AAF eliminated the onside kick and instead created a fourth-and-12 scenario in which if a team converted, it would keep the ball. A variation of it was proposed during last week's NFL owners meetings but did not get approved.

Over the past two weeks, though, reports surfaced of the league trying to work with the NFL Players Association on allowing practice squad players with futures contracts to participate in the AAF. Dundon had told USA Today last week that if the league was unable to work out an agreement with the NFLPA to share players, options then would include "discontinuing the league."

The league's on-field officials have only been told that play is off for Week 9, with Week 10 still to be determined, according to an email obtained by ESPN's Josh Weinfuss. The email alerts officials that they should be expected to be paid for Weeks 7 and 8, while travel fees for Weeks 9 and 10 are being "worked on."

One of the more attractive things about the league was the technology it developed with its app. It allowed for faster real-time technology to reach consumers and also tracked multiple biometric data points. The hope was that other leagues would see the technology and express interest in using it.

"I think what we're building on the tech side will change sports," Ebersol said in January. "If this company has a chance to survive, if the football is good enough that this has a runway where people are engaged, it will change sports."

At the time, Ebersol said he viewed his business as "a tech company that owns a football league."

Sportsbooks across the United States took down odds to win the AAF title game after hearing of the announcement.

Multiple books confirmed to ESPN that they will refund all wagers on futures bets, including those on the Memphis Express and Atlanta Legends -- teams that had already been eliminated from postseason contention.

The Orlando Apollos were -110 favorites to win the AAF title at the SuperBook at the Westgate Las Vegas before odds were taken down Tuesday.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Josh Weinfuss, Ben Fawkes and The Associated Press contributed to this report.</s>The Alliance of American Football decided to suspend all football operations on Tuesday, according to ProFootballTalk.

The news comes just two weeks shy of the league’s initial postseason run. PFT reports that the league hasn’t folded but it “seems to be moving in that direction.”

Alliance of American Football almost ran out of cash after 1st week: Who’s bailing out the AAF? The the Alliance of​ American​ Football (AAF)​ has completed two weeks of play during its inaugural season.

The AAF features several former notable NFL players like Johnny Manziel, Trent Richardson and Will Hill. Richardson had a career resurgence of sorts, leading the league with 11 rushing touchdowns in eight games.

Other familiar faces shined as well. Former Jets wide receiver Charles Johnson led the league with 687 receiving yards. Former Eagles cornerback De’Vante Bausby was tied for the league lead with four interceptions.

The AAF’s top team, the Orlando Apollos, posted a 7-1 record to start the season. The league was set to host four Week 9 matchups this weekend. Two games were scheduled to air on NFL Network and the Memphis vs. San Antonio matchup was set to air on CBS on Saturday.

It is unclear how the league’s suspension of football operations will impact the employees of the AAF. It is also unclear whether or not the business end of the league will remain in production.

The AAF has yet to release a statement on the future of the league or its suspension of operations.

Mike Kaye may be reached at . Follow him on Twitter at . Find .

Mike Kaye may be reached at . Follow him on Twitter at . Find .</s>The Alliance of American Football will cease all football operations on Tuesday, ending its inaugural season with several weeks still remaining on the schedule, according to multiple reports.

While the AAF has not made a final decision on whether to permanently fold, the league will stop playing games effective immediately, Pro Football Talk reported. The league reportedly needs another $20 million to complete its first season, and Tom Dundon, the league’s majority owner and chairman, appears to have pulled funding.

AAF representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the situation.

Dundon invested $250 million in the AAF after it encountered financial problems just weeks into its first season, in a deal that reportedly gave the billionaire the option to withdraw funding at any time. If the league does fold, Dundon will lose $70 million on his initial investment, The Action Network’s Darren Rovell reported.

The AAF will end play with two weeks remaining in its regular season. Founded by Charlie Ebersol and former NFL front office executive Bill Polian, the eight-team league had also intended to hold a multi-week postseason.

Dundon warned earlier this month that the AAF would soon fold if it was unable to reach a deal with the NFL Players’ Association that would allow AAF teams to use young NFL players on its rosters. The AAF sought to become a developmental league for the NFL, but union representatives pushed back on the proposal, citing concerns about labor agreements and player health.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP

The AAF would join several other upstart football leagues, including the United States Football League and the original XFL, which have folded quickly after launch due to financial difficulties. A rebooted version of the XFL is set to debut in 2020.</s>SAN ANTONIO — The inaugural season of the Alliance of American Football appears to be over.

In a letter sent to AAF employees Tuesday evening, executives laid out their plans for an indefinite suspension of football operations. The letter was posted to Twitter by NFL Network reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala.

The league says that it plans to "keep a small staff on hand to seek new investment capital and restructure our business." If the AAF is successful in acquiring funding for the league, "we look forward to working with many of you on season two."

The letter also details that most of the AAF employes would be terminated, effective Wednesday, April 3.

An initial report Tuesday morning from Pro Football Talk indicated that the league would suspend "all football operations" Tuesday afternoon. Action Network's Darren Rovell similarily reported that the AAF will suspend football operations "immediately."

Players around the league were informed that the reports were indeed true following practices Tuesday.

The move comes just eight weeks into the regular season, with two games remaining before playoffs commence.

Memphis Express quarterback Johnny Manziel took to Twitter to comment on the suspension, noting that the AAF's problems have plagued similar leagues in the past.

Orlando Apollos head coach Steve Spurrier told reporters that he felt bad for players and that he'd been led to believe that the league was more financially stable than this.

The league's majority owner, Tom Dundon, told USA TODAY Sports last week that lack of cooperation from the NFL Players Association to use young players from NFL rosters has left the future of the league unclear.

The AAF, Dundon reiterated to USA TODAY Sports, is a developmental league and without young talent from the players' union to develop, they may have to discontinue the league.

While the NFLPA did not have an official response to the lack of cooperation accusation, a players' union official told the publication that there are risks when it comes to lending active NFL players to the AAF.

In addition to concerns of whether or not lending players would violate the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) terms, the official explained that NFL players could be seriously injured in an AAF game resulting in a player missing an NFL season, which could lead to financial ramifications and a loss of valuable experience.

The San Antonio Commanders learned of the league's suspension of operations at practice Tuesday. players were spotted the Alamodome with equipment in hand; KENS 5 spoke to a few players who reflected on what the abridged season meant to them.</s>When the Alliance of American Football started, one question many people had was, 'How long will it last?' It appears we have an answer.

According to Pro Football Talk, the AAF has decided to suspend operations. While the league has not officially folded yet, the report suggests that step isn’t far off.

The eight-team league brought professional football back to San Diego in the form of The Fleet. Mike Martz went 3-5 with three straight losses heading into week nine. The inaugural season was scheduled to last 10 weeks.

It appears the league will not make it through "Year One." Majority owner Tom Dundon, who invested $250 million into the league earlier this season, has reportedly pulled funding in light of the AAF’s financial struggles.

According to Pro Football Talk, the league needed $20 million to last through the end of its first year of existence.

Last week Martz and Fleet General Manager Dave Boller downplayed a report that the league could soon fold, saying bonuses were included in last week’s paychecks.

The Fleet players were scheduled to practice and make Martz and the team available to the media this afternoon. At the time of this report, their schedule had not changed. However, when after today’s news broke reporters in San Antonio were moved out of practice and off of team property.

San Diego was scheduled to visit Orlando Saturday, before wrapping up the season week 10 at SDCCU Stadium April 14 against Arizona.

Halfway Through the Season, SD Fleet Are Tied For #1 in the West</s>The Alliance of American Football, which had a promising start as the latest spring league, is suspending operations eight games into its first season. The eight-team league is not folding, but games will not be played this weekend. The decision was made by majority owner Tom Dundon, who also owns the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes,.

League co-founders Bill Polian, a former NFL executive, and Charlie Ebersol, a television and film producer, did not want to suspend operations. Polian expressed his dismay on Tuesday.

“I am extremely disappointed to learn Tom Dundon has decided to suspend all football operations of the Alliance of American Football,” Polian said in a statement. “When Mr Dundon took over, it was the belief of my co-founder, Charlie Ebersol, and myself that we would finish the season, pay our creditors, and make the necessary adjustments to move forward in a manner that made economic sense for all. The momentum generated by our players, coaches and football staff had us well positioned for future success. Regrettably, we will not have that opportunity.”

The AAF seemed to have a better chance of surviving than other alternative leagues, such as the USFL and the World League, because of the people and philosophies involved. Polian and Ebersol envisioned it as a development league for the NFL with several rules tweaks designed to speed up play and make it safer. There were no kickoffs or PATs, and teams had to go for a two-point conversion after touchdowns.

While it clearly wasn’t NFL-caliber, it was entertaining and helped fill the post-Super Bowl void for avid fans. However, there were signs of trouble in a league put together in less than one year. Dundon invested $250m in the AAF shortly after play began. At the time, Ebersol said reports the Alliance was short on cash and needed a bailout from Dundon in order to make payroll were untrue. He said the league had a technical glitch in its payroll system that was fixed.

The AAF aspired to be a league for players with NFL hopes, but it could not reach agreement with the NFLPA to use players at the end of NFL rosters.</s>The Alliance of American Football is still alive, but barely breathing ... 'cause the new league will suspend all football operations before completing its first season.

The league will make the news official on Tuesday, according to Pro Football Talk ... which means guys like Johnny Manziel, Trent Richardson and Aaron Murray could be looking for work once again.

There were reports over the past few weeks that the AAF could fold, with owner Tom Dundon threatening to pull the plug if they couldn't make a deal with the NFL Players Association to get younger players to his league.

There was much debate about whether that was the case, or if making a deal like that would create bigger issues for the NFL ... but it's clear Dundon didn't care.

Johnny's time in the league was SUPER brief ... like, if you blinked, you coulda missed it. He looked solid in his debut less than 2 weeks ago ... and was injured in the second game.

Johnny tweeted shortly after he got the news, saying, "If you’re an AAF player and the league does dissolve. The last check you got will be the last one that you get. No lawsuit or anything else will get you your bread. Save your money and keep your head up. It’s the only choice at this point unless something drastic happens."

He added, "Just the reality of this unfortunate situation.. great concept, good football on the field and fun for fans to watch. Just not enough money to go around which has been the main problem with “other” leagues for a long time."

The league seemed promising -- they were able to sign coaches like Mike Singletary, Steve Spurrier and Mike Martz.

We've reached out to the AAF for comment ... but, uh, no one is responding.</s>The Alliance of American Football is suspending operations eight games into its first season.

A person with knowledge of the decision tells The Associated Press the eight-team spring football league is not folding, but games will not be played this weekend. The decision was made by majority owner Tom Dundon, who also owns the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because league officials were still working through details of the suspension. An announcement from the league is expected later Tuesday.

The league was co-founded by former NFL executive Bill Polian and television and film producer Charlie Ebersol.

The AAF aspired to be a league for players with NFL hopes, but it could not reach agreement with the NFLPA to use players at the end of NFL rosters.</s>The Alliance of American Football will apparently meet the same fate as so many spring football leagues have, ending before the conclusion of the first season.

On Tuesday, multiple outlets reported the league would suspend all football operations later in the day, with the expectation that the league will fold not too long after. Tom Dundon, the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes who invested $250 million earlier this year to become the primary owner of the league, made the decision and will lose a significant amount of his investment in the process.

All @TheAAF football operations will be suspended in the next few hours, per source with knowledge of situation. League is not folding, yet. But it's heading that way.</s>The Alliance of American Football is suspending all operations, according to ProFootballTalk.com.

PFT says the league hasn’t folded — yet. But it appears to be moving in that direction, according to PFT.

PFT reports the AAF needed about $20 million to get to the end of its first season. But it will instead cease operations with two weeks remaining in its regular season, and the planned four-team postseason will not happen, according to PFT.

The fledgling league was facing dire financial straits a few weeks ago, when Tom Dundon became its majority owner and committed $250 million in funding to the league. But Dundon, a businessman and owner of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, had the ability to pull those funds at an time, PFT says, and it’s clear he’s chosen to do so.
In American football, Tom Dundon, principal owner of the Alliance of American Football, announces that the league has suspended operations effective immediately, before the end of its first season.