Overview
- The UFL announced Thursday that it will discontinue the Birmingham Stallions and the Houston Gamblers and will place two new replacement franchises for the 2027 season.
- League co-owner Mike Repole said Birmingham was lost largely because Protective Stadium’s 47,000-seat size diluted game atmosphere despite solid ticket sales for the Stallions.
- The UFL blamed Houston’s exit on inconsistent execution, pointing to multiple venue moves and team-name changes that coincided with falling attendance from about 7,056 per game in 2024 to roughly 5,683 this past season.
- The league plans to expand to 10 teams by 2028, including a confirmed target in Oklahoma City, and is aiming for a 12-team league by 2030 with the timeline possibly moving faster if market interest grows.
- Fans and downtown businesses in Birmingham said they were shocked and worried about lost game-day revenue, and the UFL said it would consider returning if a smaller, suitable stadium solution is found while it pursues a broader, venue-focused realignment that follows the 2024 merger that created the UFL.