Antonio Brown’s Ownership of Arena League Team Keeps Getting More Bizarre

Does Antonio Brown actually own the Albany Empire Arena Football team?

Perhaps not, but it’s complicated, per Abigail Rubel of the Times Union.

Over the last few weeks, Brown has continuously told people that he is an owner of the Empire. He was introduced as such by the team as such in an official press conference as well.

However, now Brown is taking a step back and is saying he is actually not an owner of the team. It appears that Brown is correct, technically.

It turns out that Brown is a representative in a trust that owns the team, but is not an actual owner himself. According to documents provided to the Times Union, the team is owned by Antonio El-Allah Express Trust Enterprise, and the former NFL receiver has no personal ownership or control over the Empire.

Team officials told the Times Union that Antonio El-Allah, a foreign citizen, is the trustee of the enterprise, and Brown is a member of that trust. El-Allah owns a 95% ownership stake in the Empire.

The team revealed this complicated arrangement after reports earlier in the week that multiple players and team staff members were not paid after the team’s game last weekend, with some leaving the team.

It appears that the Empire have quite the complicated arrangement, but regardless, Brown is certainly an important face of the franchise, whether or not he’s the technical owner.