Former league commissioner, president Kurz returns to AFL’s front office in new roles
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MIDDLETOWN, Del. — The Arena Football League announced it hired former league commissioner and president Jerry Kurz as its new general counsel and senior advisor of player operations.
G6 Sports Group, owner of the Arena Football League, said Kurz will oversee legal compliance, player contract management, regulatory affairs, risk management and player welfare.
Kurz was commissioner of the AFL from 2010-2014 before he stepped down to be president of the league in August 2014.
”Jerry Kurz’s appointment marks a significant milestone for the AFL, ensuring the league continues to thrive under his seasoned leadership and commitment to excellence,” Chris Chetty, Managing Member of G6 Sports, said in the press release. “With his extensive expertise, he is poised to elevate the league’s operational excellence and uphold the highest standards in professional sports.”
Kurz’s last involvement with the league largely centered around lawsuits, including one against previous ownership and former commissioner Scott Butera – his successor in 2014.
According to Kurz’s breach of employment agreement complaint filed in Illinois, he alleged Butera and Arena Football One, LLC, which was headquartered in Louisiana, refused to pay him more than $437,000 per their contract agreement. The case was dismissed on October 5, 2016 because the judge ruled diversity jurisdiction did not exist and Kurz was denied a motion to retry the case.
G6 Sports Group was not affiliated with the AFL at the time and are a separate entity.
Then in 2018, Former Philadelphia Soul majority owner Ron Jaworski took over as president of the league and moved the headquarters to Philadelphia. The AFL later ceased operations in 2019 and filed for bankruptcy.
It’s unclear why or if Kurz’s lawsuit against the AFL prompted the sudden change in leadership at the time.
In this new role, Kurz will be tasked with revitalizing the AFL’s hall of fame, in which he was an inaugural member.
The move comes as G6 Sports is attempting to spearhead the future of the AFL. Recently the group appointed Jared Widman as its president and chief operating officer.
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