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Not that I care about soccer, But I was reading about a soccer specific stadium proposal in Memphis where I ran across an interesting tidbit.

Quote:The USL Championship has mandated that all of its clubs are primary tenants in soccer-specific stadiums by 2026."

A fact that I confirmed through a second source from New Mexico.
https://www.abqjournal.com/2538971/home-...nited.html

That leads to interesting questions regarding the Legion's future at Protective stadium and in Birmingham.

The Birmingham Legion now play at Protective, which is definitely not a soccer-specific stadium nor are they the primary tenants. They may be able to argue that Protective could be called "soccer-specific" due to its construction. I see no way they ever become the Primary Tenant by 2026.

What does this mean for the Legion's future? Will they try to define Protective as soccer-specific? Will they try to wrench Primary tenant status away from UAB?

For the record, UAB's 20 year contract does stipulate Primary Tenant status (scheduling priority).

Quote:Under the terms of the agreement, UAB will lease the stadium for its practices, six to 10 home games and post-game play for 20 years. Rent for the first 10 years will be $25,000 per regular season game, $15,000 for any post-season game and $10,000 for the UAB spring practice game.

After 10 years, the rental rate will be renegotiated.

According to the agreement, UAB will host approximately six to 10 home football games and other football program team-related events. Post-season games or the Conference USA Championship game will be hosted at the new stadium.

According to the agreement, all UAB games have scheduling priority over any other events. UAB football will receive 20 complimentary practice days a year.

The Legion burned bridges and certainly can not return to PNC Field, not as primary tenants, regardless.

Who would build them a soccer-specific facility in the Birmingham/Hoover Metro?

2026 really isn't that far away.

Note to any media lurkers: Feel free to take this "story" and run with it. It will fit in nicely with the current "Birmingham stealing the amphitheater business from Pelham" and "Hoover stealing the Symphony from Birmingham" storylines. — A BlazerTalk credit would be appreciated.

No insight here, but … with the new amphitheater coming to Uptown replacing the Oak Mountain Amphitheater, what about a 10k soccer specific stadium going out there? Pelham gets soccer and hockey, Bham gets UAB, G-League, Barons, Stallions and all the concert business.

Probably a win win for everybody.

Another possibility, maybe Hoover dusts off the soccer stadium at the Met complex that they considered after the Barons moved.

Yeah this is tough. I'd hate for Bham to lose the Legion, or for them to drop down from the USL Champion league, but obviously something has to give. It's a shame that relationship with UAB got ruined.

Because they will run into the same issue the Barons ran into with Hoover, no one will drive out to Pelham to see them play. I don't know what the attendance is like currently for the Legion but I definitely don't see them becoming the primary tenant for Protective. This probably means they will not be in Birmingham in the next few years.

Considering that they play at Protective for free I'm positive they'll never be the primary tenant. Also kind of interesting that it seems like UAB is the only party actually paying to play there.

As or Legion, I'm betting that they'll have a stadium built by then on their own. I don't think they thought the situation at UAB would go south so quickly, and opted to build practice facilities over focusing on a stadium (since they already dumped a significant amount of change into renovating UAB).

All that to say...who give a **** where they'll be in 2026, they have their first ever playoff game this Sunday at 5pm. Tickets are $10, I hope to see you there.

They don’t seem to be drawing all that well at Protective now. I think they might draw better in Shelby County.

Personally, I thought PNC Field was the perfect spot for them. If they were to move to Hoover I would hope they would become the Hoover Legion so the city would embrace them.

I agree that PNC Field seemed like the perfect spot for them. It was definitely a good size for their needs.

(10-20-2022 03:46 PM)HiddenDragon Wrote:  Personally, I thought PNC Field was the perfect spot for them. If they were to move to Hoover I would hope they would become the Hoover Legion so the city would embrace them.

They gave the Barons love while they were playing there without the name change.

I'm more concerned that outdoor concerts were one of the biggest non-sports applications in the justification of Protective Stadium as a city project, and now there's going to be an amphitheater right next to it that takes that away.

(10-20-2022 03:40 PM)DuelingDragon Wrote:  They don’t seem to be drawing all that well at Protective now. I think they might draw better in Shelby County.

They're drawing between 5k-6k for each match, which is above league average. Those numbers would be selling out every game if they still played at UAB. I'm sure that figure would also be significantly higher if they didn't have to play 80% of their home games on weeknights to plan around the USFL. This weekend's playoff game should be a good indicator.

(10-20-2022 04:22 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  I'm more concerned that outdoor concerts were one of the biggest non-sports applications in the justification of Protective Stadium as a city project, and now there's going to be an amphitheater right next to it that takes that away.

A 10,000 seat amphitheater and a 40,000 seat stadium are totally different concert categories. It's not an either or choice really. The proposed amphitheater would compete more directly for shows with Legacy Arena than Protective Stadium.

(10-20-2022 03:49 PM)BlazintheAtl1 Wrote:  I agree that PNC Field seemed like the perfect spot for them. It was definitely a good size for their needs.

Yeah it's a shame UAB and the Legion couldn't make PNC Field work. It was a great set-up and the right size. Protective is way too big for them.

Even if they were still at PNC, something would have to give with that new 2026 rule as they wouldn't be the primary tenant at UAB either.

(10-20-2022 04:22 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  I'm more concerned that outdoor concerts were one of the biggest non-sports applications in the justification of Protective Stadium as a city project, and now there's going to be an amphitheater right next to it that takes that away.

Stadium shows and amphitheater shows are different markets.

(10-20-2022 04:31 PM)Auburn_Blazer Wrote:  

(10-20-2022 03:40 PM)DuelingDragon Wrote:  They don’t seem to be drawing all that well at Protective now. I think they might draw better in Shelby County.

They're drawing between 5k-6k for each match, which is above league average. Those numbers would be selling out every game if they still played at UAB. I'm sure that figure would also be significantly higher if they didn't have to play 80% of their home games on weeknights to plan around the USFL. This weekend's playoff game should be a good indicator.

That is a little better than I thought. They have the same problem as UAB in that the empty seats look terrible.

I think the complex will be awesome and will make bham a must-stop city on tours through the south. The BJCC is great for concerts in colder months. It is so much better then the old arena. The new amphitheater will draw lots of great shows in late spring summer, early fall. Protective is a perfect size and setup for the big stadium acts like Garth, Beyoncé, etc. Acts like that play so many super size stadiums that they actually enjoy the slightly smaller and more intimate setting like Protective. Brooks raved about playing there.

(10-20-2022 03:51 PM)kdblazer Wrote:  

(10-20-2022 03:46 PM)HiddenDragon Wrote:  Personally, I thought PNC Field was the perfect spot for them. If they were to move to Hoover I would hope they would become the Hoover Legion so the city would embrace them.

They gave the Barons love while they were playing there without the name change.

But that love didn't translate into interest in the Barons in Hoover. Add to that, there is nothing in walking distance around the Met to entice people to come see a team play soccer or baseball for a full season. Great location to hold an event for a couple of days or even a week. Not so great for three or four months.

Lawson Field?

(10-20-2022 03:32 PM)blazerjay Wrote:  Another possibility, maybe Hoover dusts off the soccer stadium at the Met complex that they considered after the Barons moved.

I would think this. I thought PNC was great venue for them & may something can be worked out. They did draw well in the game or 2 they held at LF so maybe that's what happens to the old broad. Would they be primary tenet at LF or would the ASU/AAM be???