Coincidentally it is the entire USFL conference:

Birmingham
Houston
Memphis
Michigan

The four new markets are believed to be

Boise
Columbus
Louisville/Lexington
Orlando

https://pfnewsroom.com/news/ufl-to-reloc...26-season/

I am not sure if I am surprised or not.

I know the US loves football, but somehow, SPRING PRO BALL hasn't done well... see the original USFL AND XFL. The reboot hasn't gone that well either as I can tell. The economics always seemed dubious and unless the NFL underwrites this like a NBA equivalent to the G League...

(07-24-2025 03:36 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  I am not sure if I am surprised or not.

I know the US loves football, but somehow, SPRING PRO BALL hasn't done well... see the original USFL AND XFL. The reboot hasn't gone that well either as I can tell. The economics always seemed dubious and unless the NFL underwrites this like a NBA equivalent to the G League...

The NFL needs a G league.

(07-24-2025 07:05 PM)andybible1995 Wrote:  The NFL needs a G league.

I wonder if the NFL would use it as something to take over say, Wednesday night. The only issue might be the cost of turning on the lights at some facilities. Some teams might have their second units playing at suburban locations. This could also be a way to engage non-NFL markets like Saint Louis, Memphis, Orlando, Salt Lake City, etc.

The NFL could get a TV partner to do something like 6 and 9:15 PM Eastern. Maybe you even do a 7:30 game with a second TV partner since so many teams are in the Central Time Zone.

It seems like despite playing in the spring, there's not much of a niche for leagues like the UFL and its predecessors. They're not considered equal to the NFL, and even if effectively serving as a minor league, that role is already filled, functionally speaking, by college football.

(07-24-2025 10:00 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(07-24-2025 07:05 PM)andybible1995 Wrote:  The NFL needs a G league.

I wonder if the NFL would use it as something to take over say, Wednesday night. The only issue might be the cost of turning on the lights at some facilities. Some teams might have their second units playing at suburban locations. This could also be a way to engage non-NFL markets like Saint Louis, Memphis, Orlando, Salt Lake City, etc.

The NFL could get a TV partner to do something like 6 and 9:15 PM Eastern. Maybe you even do a 7:30 game with a second TV partner since so many teams are in the Central Time Zone.

An NFL G-League with teams in Birmingham, Memphis, Orlando, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, Salt Lake City, and St. Louis could possibly work. Maybe give them the Thursday night slot, and let the regular NFL teams go back to playing on Sunday and Monday night. Some of the players aren't a fan of playing on Thursday night anyway.

That idea might take off: Tuesday and Wednesday Night Football. Let the UFL grow to 32 using untapped markets.

Sunday: NFL
Monday: NFL
Tuesday: UFL / College*
Wednesday: UFL / College*
Thursday: NFL* / College
Friday: College
Saturday: College

* Few, if any, games week-to-week

Columbus confirmed to have a team in 2026, but no details as to which team is relocating:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nf...448517007/

A fall minor league would probably work better than the spring league. I like the midweek game idea, but have to get these teams out of NFL cities. Question now arises, which is better, to be in an NFL practice squad or on the minor league roster??? Do we get bigger names if it has an NFLjr name??? If it’s a minor league, how are player allocated???

I still think the spring league can work, first off is they need better marketing. In Birmingham, you see nothing around town or in the media that says there is a game on any given weekend. Expansion would help TV numbers, and threatening to move a team from you strongest TV market is just a stupid move. They also need to get the teams in their home market, none of this central team base BS. You have to get the players out into the community, engaging fans and sponsors.

I’m excited for the Columbus team. I’m hoping to take the kids to a game—hoping the tickets are more affordable than Ohio State’s

I’d love to see a team in Canton, but I don’t think the town is big enough to support it. Orlando, Salt Lake City and San Diego all need to be on the short list for teams.

The UFL announced the Louisville Kings, Columbus Aviators, and Orlando Storm today.

I thought it was odd that they are dropping divisions. I wonder what the methodology will then be for determining who plays who twice.

Louisville uses soccer to bring the Kings to town.

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sp...455079007/

(10-08-2025 07:41 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I thought it was odd that they are dropping divisions. I wonder what the methodology will then be for determining who plays who twice.

There could actually be a somewhat uniform rotation.

These teams would play twice every year:

Birmingham - Orlando
Columbus - DC
Dallas - Houston
Louisville - Saint Louis

The other two return games would rotate yearly. You would need three years to rotate through all six remaining opponents, and technically you need six years to balance home and away.

Everyone would play each other at least once annually.

There is no Houston anymore.

(10-09-2025 01:39 AM)C2__ Wrote:  There is no Houston anymore.

The Houston Gamblers are still listed on the UFL page along with the other 7 listed above.


Go Cards & Kings!

(10-09-2025 08:59 AM)Lenvillecards Wrote:  

(10-09-2025 01:39 AM)C2__ Wrote:  There is no Houston anymore.

The Houston Gamblers are still listed on the UFL page along with the other 7 listed above.


Go Cards & Kings!

They dropped the XFL Roughnecks brand and decided to revert back to the USFL’s Gamblers.

It looks like the UFL wants to return to Detroit in 2028 once Detroit City FC of the USL finish their new stadium:

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/2...502083007/

How successful has the UFL been? To be honest, I haven’t kept up with it until now. Excited to see how this plays out.


Go Cards & Kings!