Rumored landing spots for the Brahmas include Columbus, Orlando or Louisville. Credit: Courtesy Photo / XFL
The United Football League’s San Antonio Brahmas are moving on to greener pastures after the league, in a Friday social media post, revealed the team will relocate to a new city.
San Antonio is one of three markets to lose an UFL franchise amid league reshuffling this week. The others are Memphis and Detroit.
It’s unclear where the Brahmas will be heading next. The UFL previously confirmed it would move one of those three teams to Columbus, Ohio. Other rumored markets for relocation include Orlando, Florida; Louisville, Kentucky; and Boise, Idaho, according to the Sports Business Journal.
In a statement, the Brahmas and the UFL blamed the Alamodome for its decision to move the team.
“Unfortunately, due to stadium constraints, the available venues do not align with our new vision of focusing on smaller, more intimate settings that elevate the fan experience,” the statement said.
The Brahmas ranked in the top half of UFL teams for attendance during each of its three seasons in the Alamo City. The Alamodome also hosted the XFL — the precursor to the UFL — in 2023.
In a statement, the Alamodome said the UFL’s decision was “disappointing” and thanked the team and the league for three great seasons.
“We’re disappointed at the decision to discontinue the Brahmas franchise but understand the reasoning behind placing the league’s games in smaller, more cost-effective venues,” officials with the city-owned stadium said.
The Brahmas’ exit comes amid heightened fears that the San Antonio Spurs could do the same if voters don’t approve funding for a new stadium in the November election. However, some experts and analysts argue those fears are overblown.
“It’s not good PR, and it also jeopardizes the relationship that teams have with cities,” sports business economist Andrew Zimbalist told the Current last month. “Because if the NBA simply lets everybody move, then the cities will be more cautious, and reluctant, to sign a long-term lease deal and to put down a lot of money when they see that as soon as the team becomes dissatisfied they can leave.”
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