▁were ▁also ▁considered , ▁but ▁the ▁league ▁did ▁not ▁act ively ▁rec ruit ▁NCAA ▁players . ▁The ▁league ▁also ▁did ▁not ▁purs ue ▁experienced ▁professional ▁players ▁and ▁intended ▁not ▁to ▁allow ▁any ▁player ▁to ▁play ▁more ▁than ▁three ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁league ▁( the ▁league ▁only ▁last ed ▁two ▁years , ▁rendering ▁this ▁rule ▁mo ot ); ▁one ▁an ec d ote ▁had ▁the ▁league ▁turning ▁down ▁Maurice ▁Jones - D rew ▁on ▁account ▁of ▁his ▁career ▁being ▁near ▁its ▁end ▁( the ▁an ec d ote ▁may ▁not ▁be ▁true , ▁since ▁Jones - D rew ▁was ▁already ▁signed ▁to ▁a ▁three - year ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁Oak land ▁Ra iders ▁before ▁the ▁league ▁was ▁founded ). ▁The ▁league ▁soft ened ▁its ▁st ance ▁on ▁this ▁st ip ulation ▁for ▁ 2 0 1 5 ; ▁Josh ▁Fre eman , ▁who ▁spent ▁four ▁years ▁as ▁starting ▁quarter back ▁for ▁the ▁T ampa ▁Bay ▁Bu cc ane ers , ▁was ▁signed ▁to ▁the ▁Brook lyn ▁Bol ts ▁for ▁that ▁year . ▁Each ▁team ▁also ▁had ▁territorial ▁rights ▁to ▁players , ▁so ▁any ▁player ▁in ▁a ▁team ' s ▁territory ▁was ▁first ▁choice ▁is ▁to ▁that ▁team . ▁The ▁league ▁and ▁team ▁own ers ▁originally ▁planned ▁to ▁ar range ▁host ▁families ▁for ▁the ▁players , ▁similar ▁to ▁other ▁minor ▁le agues ; ▁players ▁instead ▁were ▁hous ed ▁in ▁hot els . ▁ ▁Fin ances ▁The ▁league ▁operated ▁under ▁a ▁budget ▁of ▁$ 8 ▁to ▁$ 9 ▁million ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁season ▁and ▁expected ▁to