Michael Huyghue
Encyclopedia
Michael L. Huyghue is a sports lawyer and businessman who is the current commissioner
of the new United Football League, having served in that capacity since the league's founding in 2007. He was previously a member of the legal department of the NFL Players Association before joining the NFL Management Council
. Uniquely positioned from having thus worked on both sides of the player/management relationship, he called for the 2011 NFL labor standoff
to be settled by keeping the lawyers for both sides out of the negotiating process.
After the formulation of the World League of American Football
, the predecessor of NFL Europa, Huyghue joined the Birmingham Fire
as general manager. After the league’s demise in 1992, he moved to the Detroit Lions
of the National Football League
as vice-president, a role he also fulfilled for the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars
from 1994 until 2001. Huyghue was also previously a sports agent
, managing NFL players such as Adam "Pacman" Jones
.
Huyghue is originally from suburban Hartford, Connecticut
, a situation that was a factor in his placing a UFL franchise, the Hartford Colonials, in the area. Huyghue was a three-year football
and baseball
player while at Cornell University
, and received a law degree from the University of Michigan
. He lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
.
, a former University of Miami booster incarcerated for his role in a $930 million Ponzi scheme, was alleging that he had provided "thousands of impermissible benefits to at least 72 University of Miami
athletes from 2002 through 2010." In the article, Shapiro claimed that during his time as a University of Miami booster, he also co-owned a sports agency, Axcess Sports & Entertainment, with Huyghue. Shapiro alleged that he introduced Huyghue to several Hurricanes players, leaving it to Huyghue to provide "his own set of extra benefits to athletes as he saw fit, including cash payments, travel and other inducements." Shapiro "told federal prosecutors that’s precisely what Huyghue did, giving multiple illicit benefits, including cash, to several players at Miami."
Huyghue rejected Shapiro's claims. “He’s a convicted felon,” Huyghue said in the same article. “I just don’t want to get into such fantasy. I just wouldn’t want to even go down that path. I don’t even care what he said. Whatever he could say, there’s just no substance to it."
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
of the new United Football League, having served in that capacity since the league's founding in 2007. He was previously a member of the legal department of the NFL Players Association before joining the NFL Management Council
National Football League Management Council
The National Football League Management Council is a non-profit association of clubs in the National Football League that represents its members in negotiations related to the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL Players Association. It is based in New York City and its chairman is the...
. Uniquely positioned from having thus worked on both sides of the player/management relationship, he called for the 2011 NFL labor standoff
2011 NFL lockout
The 2011 National Football League lockout was a lockout that lasted from March 11 to July 25. It occurred primarily during the offseason for 18 weeks and 4 days...
to be settled by keeping the lawyers for both sides out of the negotiating process.
After the formulation of the World League of American Football
World League of American Football
The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...
, the predecessor of NFL Europa, Huyghue joined the Birmingham Fire
Birmingham Fire
The Birmingham Fire was a professional American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. The team played at Legion Field, and it made the playoffs in both seasons....
as general manager. After the league’s demise in 1992, he moved to the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
as vice-president, a role he also fulfilled for the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 1994 until 2001. Huyghue was also previously a sports agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
, managing NFL players such as Adam "Pacman" Jones
Adam Jones (American football)
Adam "Pac-Man" Bernard Jones is an American cornerback and return specialist who is currently playing for the Cincinnati Bengals. He was drafted in the first round with the sixth-overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. He played college football at West Virginia.Jones has also...
.
Huyghue is originally from suburban Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, a situation that was a factor in his placing a UFL franchise, the Hartford Colonials, in the area. Huyghue was a three-year football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
player while at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, and received a law degree from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Ponte Vedra Beach is an unincorporated seaside community in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Located eighteen miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville and north of St. Augustine, it is part of the Jacksonville Beaches area. It is an upmarket tourist resort area best known for its...
.
Controversy
On Aug. 16, 2011, Yahoo! Sports reported that Nevin ShapiroNevin Shapiro
Nevin Shapiro is a former University of Miami football booster who is currently imprisoned for orchestrating a $930 million Ponzi scheme. According to interviews, he engaged in rampant violations of NCAA rules over eight years as a booster for University of Miami athletes...
, a former University of Miami booster incarcerated for his role in a $930 million Ponzi scheme, was alleging that he had provided "thousands of impermissible benefits to at least 72 University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
athletes from 2002 through 2010." In the article, Shapiro claimed that during his time as a University of Miami booster, he also co-owned a sports agency, Axcess Sports & Entertainment, with Huyghue. Shapiro alleged that he introduced Huyghue to several Hurricanes players, leaving it to Huyghue to provide "his own set of extra benefits to athletes as he saw fit, including cash payments, travel and other inducements." Shapiro "told federal prosecutors that’s precisely what Huyghue did, giving multiple illicit benefits, including cash, to several players at Miami."
Huyghue rejected Shapiro's claims. “He’s a convicted felon,” Huyghue said in the same article. “I just don’t want to get into such fantasy. I just wouldn’t want to even go down that path. I don’t even care what he said. Whatever he could say, there’s just no substance to it."