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(02-06-2019 05:31 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  

(02-06-2019 01:48 PM)Auburn_Blazer Wrote:  This. We're a football crazed state, but I don't think I could handle going to games on Saturday AND Sunday

This is exactly why an NFL team would do horribly in Birmingham. All the time, money, and attention is already absorbed by Alabama and Auburn. The people who care enough about the NFL to matter are already New Orleans, Tennessee, or Atlanta fans. There's no out of state base to draw from either because all the surrounding states except Mississippi already have teams, and the 12 people who live in Mississippi are probably Saints fans

But now the Bear is dead, and maybe Junior soon enough. There was good passion and support for the Stallions. If it won early, I think Bham would rally round.

(02-07-2019 10:20 AM)DragonClaw Wrote:  

(02-06-2019 05:31 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  

(02-06-2019 01:48 PM)Auburn_Blazer Wrote:  This. We're a football crazed state, but I don't think I could handle going to games on Saturday AND Sunday

This is exactly why an NFL team would do horribly in Birmingham. All the time, money, and attention is already absorbed by Alabama and Auburn. The people who care enough about the NFL to matter are already New Orleans, Tennessee, or Atlanta fans. There's no out of state base to draw from either because all the surrounding states except Mississippi already have teams, and the 12 people who live in Mississippi are probably Saints fans

But now the Bear is dead, and maybe Junior soon enough. There was good passion and support for the Stallions. If it won early, I think Bham would rally round.

For a city the size of Birmingham, that isn't enough. It would have to be a team for all of Alabama, and that isn't going to happen. No one is an Alabama fan because of Paul Bryant Jr, him being alive or not has zero impact on the popularity of the University of Alabama, which is only about 60% of the issue, the rest of which is at the other end of Hwy 280. Auburn existing is as much a problem for an NFL team as Tuscaloosa

The NFL has won over college anywhere they have co-existed. Saying that, I would be shocked if Montgomery allowed B'ham to have an NFL team even if the league was knocking down our door. I believe they would find a way to stop it.

The last NFL exhibition game played in B'ham was in 1988. I would not advise holding your breath until the next one. Mexico City and London YES; small city America, NO.

As far as direct competition with college football, most major colleges exist in rural or nearly rural towns and cities while most NFL teams built their brand inside major cities where there was little major collegiate competition. Only after they established their brand (after1960s) did they place teams inside major cities that had major college programs - a probably unanticipated benefit of the then new Interstate system.

The Birmingham Patriots. I was there after whining to my dad. This was year jets won Super Bowl 3...before roman numbers. Bear leading up to the game talked about how pro football would kill college sports.

https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/1968_Boston_P...tball_game

(02-07-2019 04:16 PM)scottycolsonblazer Wrote:  The Birmingham Patriots.

Gronk would be getting wasted at Avondale.

(02-07-2019 03:40 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  The last NFL exhibition game played in B'ham was in 1988. I would not advise holding your breath until the next one. Mexico City and London YES; small city America, NO.

As far as direct competition with college football, most major colleges exist in rural or nearly rural towns and cities while most NFL teams built their brand inside major cities where there was little major collegiate competition. Only after they established their brand (after1960s) did they place teams inside major cities that had major college programs - a probably unanticipated benefit of the then new Interstate system.

Doug Williams and the championship Redskins came in to play the Falcons I believe.

Lots more Redskins fans at that game.

(02-07-2019 01:26 PM)Blazer on the southside Wrote:  The NFL has won over college anywhere they have co-existed. Saying that, I would be shocked if Montgomery allowed B'ham to have an NFL team even if the league was knocking down our door. I believe they would find a way to stop it.

Montgomery is not more powerful than the NFL.

(02-07-2019 07:27 PM)blazers9911 Wrote:  

(02-07-2019 01:26 PM)Blazer on the southside Wrote:  The NFL has won over college anywhere they have co-existed. Saying that, I would be shocked if Montgomery allowed B'ham to have an NFL team even if the league was knocking down our door. I believe they would find a way to stop it.

Montgomery is not more powerful than the NFL.

In a state that allows ZERO HOME RULE, Montgomery (the state legislature, state courts and the Governor) has absolute power over all major issues in this state. Remember in 2016 when B'ham enacted a local law raising the local minimum wage? The state legislature immediately passed a law against any local government doing that. The effect was to guarantee that Alabama labor would remain the cheapest anywhere in America. Businesses love Alabama -- cheapest labor and long term tax abatements.
BTW, One reason Alabama's local sales taxes are among the highest in America is that it is the only tax the Constitution of 1901 allows without legislative action and often a statewide constitutional amendment vote.

I'm curious what a law to prevent a team from locating in Birmingham looks like. They can't pass one that explicitly says "A pro football team cannot operate within a Class I municipality", that would be unconstitutional

Only thing the state could do would be deny a new stadium for a team.
& shoot, I might actually go to an NFL game here if it ever happens.
That is in spite of the fact that a lot of the players don't respect America.

Strange enough though, an NFL team could play at 70,000 seat Legion Field but would not probably play at 40,000 BJCC Stadium.

Any NFL team that thinks about coming to Alabama will want a mountain of incentives. It would take the City, Jeffco and surrounding counties, the State, plus deep pocketed ownership to make it happen.

I think there is strong possibility that over the next few decades football becomes more of a regional sport. Youth and high school participation are down everywhere in the US but the South. Same for college football attendance.

That could open up some opportunities for UAB and Birmingham as the sport's focus becomes even more Southern. If football stagnates on the right and left coasts, some struggling franchises might look to relocate to where it's still thriving.

I'm looking out 20+ years. Right now we have a snowballs chance in Gulf Shores.

(02-07-2019 01:26 PM)Blazer on the southside Wrote:  The NFL has won over college anywhere they have co-existed. Saying that, I would be shocked if Montgomery allowed B'ham to have an NFL team even if the league was knocking down our door. I believe they would find a way to stop it.

That's what I mean by my reference to Bear Jr. In the past, the college powers at Bama and Auburn would oppose and use leverage to stop it. I believe it was understood in past decades that the Bear didn't want pro sports in Bham, just as he didn't want UAB to have athletics. With Bham's resurgence, that may not be the case so much anymore.

Welp the Raiders might be here this year.

(02-07-2019 06:57 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  

(02-07-2019 03:40 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  The last NFL exhibition game played in B'ham was in 1988. I would not advise holding your breath until the next one. Mexico City and London YES; small city America, NO.

As far as direct competition with college football, most major colleges exist in rural or nearly rural towns and cities while most NFL teams built their brand inside major cities where there was little major collegiate competition. Only after they established their brand (after1960s) did they place teams inside major cities that had major college programs - a probably unanticipated benefit of the then new Interstate system.

Doug Williams and the championship Redskins came in to play the Falcons I believe.

Lots more Redskins fans at that game.

I openly rooted against the Falcons at that game.

As did I.

Portland, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Memphis, yeah, all viable. I feel like Birmingham has had its chances and ruined any probability of landing an NFL franchise decades ago trying to appease that other school an hour west of us without a damn thing to show for it. All those international cities? ....Nah. I'm not intrigued by the chance of an NFL team in Europe somewhere or Mexico City (aren't there some serious and frequent seismic issues there anyway?) ...What was the average time of those games being played overseas? Real early in the a.m. if memory serves. No can do. I'm hoping the Birmingham Iron and the AAFL enjoys a long and succesful run. I'm all in with it.

(02-08-2019 11:53 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  

(02-07-2019 06:57 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  

(02-07-2019 03:40 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  The last NFL exhibition game played in B'ham was in 1988. I would not advise holding your breath until the next one. Mexico City and London YES; small city America, NO.

As far as direct competition with college football, most major colleges exist in rural or nearly rural towns and cities while most NFL teams built their brand inside major cities where there was little major collegiate competition. Only after they established their brand (after1960s) did they place teams inside major cities that had major college programs - a probably unanticipated benefit of the then new Interstate system.

Doug Williams and the championship Redskins came in to play the Falcons I believe.

Lots more Redskins fans at that game.

I openly rooted against the Falcons at that game.

I was at that game too. I think Mark Rypien played most of that one. Andray Bruce was the lone shining Falcons star. I've been a Falcons fan since the "Grits Blitz" era. I think a team seeking relocation might be a better NFL fit for Birmingham than an expansion franchise although either is unlikely, to me. Some Birmingham sports fans (some of you aren't gonna like this but it's just my observation based on a lot of past experiences) want instant gratification. Especially when ot comes to football. They're not willing to support a losing team while it develops over a period of years. There are a lot of freeloaders out there not willing to spend money on tickets, even if the team was winning, always looking for freebies for games. Birmingham has more working against than for it in this regard.

(02-08-2019 07:26 AM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  I'm curious what a law to prevent a team from locating in Birmingham looks like. They can't pass one that explicitly says "A pro football team cannot operate within a Class I municipality", that would be unconstitutional

Wouldn't surprise me to find that somewhere in that wretched state constitution, which is definitely anti-Birmingham.

(02-07-2019 05:23 PM)C-Finder Wrote:  

(02-07-2019 04:16 PM)scottycolsonblazer Wrote:  The Birmingham Patriots.

Gronk would be getting wasted at Avondale.

I like that!