ALBANY — Antonio Brown will be the majority owner of the Albany Empire, the team announced Wednesday evening.
Brown, the controversial former NFL wide receiver, will control 95 percent of the team, with Charlotte and Steve von Schiller retaining the remaining 5 percent.
Mike Kwarta, who brought Brown on board as a co-owner in March, with each owning 47.5 percent of the team, sold his shares to Brown for $1, Kwarta said.
“It’s what’s best for the brand, the community, the arena, the county, the fans and the players,” Kwarta said. “There’s a little bit of a power struggle with me and Antonio right now, and he’s got a lot of interest in owning the team himself, and it’s best for me to step out of the way at this time and allow that process to happen.”
The papers were being signed Wednesday evening.
Kwarta assumed majority ownership of the National Arena League team in the winter of 2021, taking over from Ron Tridico and Nate Starling. Tridico and Starling brought the NAL franchise to Albany, reviving the former Arena Football League team for the 2021 season.
Brown had previously said he owned 100 percent of the team, which Kwarta refuted Saturday night.
Brown attended the Empire’s practice Wednesday morning along with his father, Eddie Brown, a former Albany Firebird and the Empire’s current vice president of operations. As practice wound down, Antonio Brown encouraged some linemen doing exercises at midfield and went out for a pass from Empire quarterback Sam Castronova.
Brown could not be immediately reached for comment.
“I do wish him success with the team, because the idea of me walking away is so that he can do what he needs to do, what he feels is best, at this point to keep this brand going, keep what we have created and the sustainability of the team over the…
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