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Spat over insurance could derail AFL comeback

A deal between Arena Football League owners and the players could collapse after owners withdrew their offer to cover health-insurance coverage.

A deal between Arena Football League owners and the players could collapse after owners withdrew their offer to cover health-insurance coverage .

As you'll recall, the AFL shut down operations and has worked on a restructuring plan for the next version of the league. Much of the cost savings come from centralized and outsourced operations, but the players are bearing a big part of the savings with a significantly lower salary cap.

Part of the exchange for the lower salary cap was the assurance that the league would cover health care — a big cost for a pro football player. And refusing to pay it could backfire on league owners.

"I am less optimistic than I have ever been," Grand Rapids Rampage placekicker Brian Gowins, the alternate union representative for the team, told the Grand Rapids Press. "It's frustrating. I think a lot of players are coming to the point (waiting for AFL owners to finalize their plans) that they're going to have to wash their hands of the league and move on. A lot of them can't wait much longer."

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