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For Immediate Release: Oct. 28, 2014

Contact: Jimmy Filler, 205.907.5140, penguinfund@yahoo.com

Birmingham Businessman Launches UAB Football Foundation

Birmingham, Ala. – Longtime UAB donor and local businessman Jimmy Filler is creating the UAB Football Foundation with its primary purpose to help secure funding among the business community and other individuals to support the enhancement of UAB's football program. The Foundation’s primary focus will be to help the necessary funding to build a modern on-campus football practice facility similar to other member institutions within Conference USA.

“As with so many in the Magic City, I am extremely impressed with Coach Bill Clark and his staff for the significant progress they are making on the gridiron and in the classroom. In our own conference, cities such as Charlotte, Shreveport and San Antonio have seized the positive impact of college football and its synergistic impact on their respective cities. In recent weeks, UAB Football has become Birmingham’s team, and with the support of our business community, UAB Football can have a transformative effect in student recruitment, alumni development, and economic opportunities on the Southside and throughout our metro area,” Filler said.

City officials who have met with Bill Clark also expressed their excitement about the formation of this new foundation. Mayor William Bell stated that “anything which would enhance the profile of UAB, the state’s largest employer, would also help the city and provide tremendous economic growth. The city of Birmingham will always support expansion efforts the Mayor went on to say, what is good for UAB is good for the city of Birmingham.”

The Foundation will be an independent entity, but it will align its efforts and resources with Coach Clark, the UAB administration, University of Alabama board of trustees and the city of Birmingham.

“I am very excited to hear about the Foundation and truly appreciate Mr. Filler’s passion for our program. UAB Football is poised to do amazing things and with strategic investments to our practice facilities, we can build a program that makes our City and University proud. In our first season, we have already seen the excitement with our attendance being one of the highest in the conference. Clearly, we have a great foundation to build Birmingham’s team,” Clark said.

In the next few weeks, Mr. Filler will be announcing appointments to the Board which will include members from the Birmingham business community and former UAB student-athletes.

“Birmingham has long been known as the Football Capital of the South and our Foundation will ensure a vibrant UAB football program which will preserve this sacred legacy. Further, the Foundation will help to provide the necessary resources to ensure that UAB students have a comprehensive college experience which includes a football program that builds tradition and pride in our University and Community,” Filler said.

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Good stuff...

Finally. An adult approach to overcoming the board of trustees resistance to advancement of uab football, including a stadium. Let the business community drive the bus that takes on each barrier. Smart and great timing. Dare we hope?

No stadium right now. First big project is an indoor practice facility.

Finally! Seems like an official fundraiser under another name to me. I LOVE IT!!!

A little leary on some of the members:

"The Foundation will be an independent entity, but it will align its efforts and resources with Coach Clark, the UAB administration, University of Alabama board of trustees and the city of Birmingham. 

That's not members. Members have not been selected as of yet. It will work in conjunction with them.

Shreveport?

Good deal.
Just shows that things have been happening behind the scenes.

WOOHOO!!!

Awesome!

(10-28-2014 07:56 AM)BlazerGrad88 Wrote:  Shreveport?

LaTech is about 40 miles from there. Their bowl game is actually one of the better small bowls. The city does a great job with it.

Spread the word.

Is the foundation going to buy Coach Clark's house?

Great announcement! The business community will rally around the program. For those of us who have seen the original stadium proposal, that's already been proven out.

Some of us have been calling for something like this for some time. Great job getting this established. I think this now creates real opportunity for fund raising for projects related to football in a way that is relatively immune from the pressure of the BOT.

When the Foundation raises the money and goes public with the funding, what argument can the BOT have?

BTW, where is the original story published?

(10-28-2014 10:17 AM)Blazer85 Wrote:  BTW, where is the original story published?

On the first post of this thread. It's a press release. Jack also put it on the UAB rivals site.

Blazer talk was the first to break this story. It is the official press release from the source.

news media beginning to pick up the story

http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/ne...l?page=all

As much as possible, we need to forward this to all news outlets for coverage. Also, we need to send emails, tweets and messages to Jimmy Filler, Head Coach Bill Clark and Mayor Bell for putting this together. Let's show them our support.

(10-28-2014 10:57 AM)Taylor Blazer Wrote:  As much as possible, we need to forward this to all news outlets for coverage. Also, we need to send emails, tweets and messages to Jimmy Filler, Head Coach Bill Clark and Mayor Bell for putting this together. Let's show them our support.

And let Ray Watts know you support it. He is the man in the middle, and he will be the first to feel the wrath of the BOT. He needs to know there are a lot of UAB people behind him. This could be a bare knuckles fist-fight!