As the United Football League continues to struggle for survival, it will likely have to shed some of the bigger markets it’s called home over the last few seasons.
The UFL, which combined the previous versions of the USFL and XFL, is shuttering the Memphis Showboats, Michigan Panthers, and San Antonio Brahmas as part of a larger reorganization, according to Sports Business Journal.
The three franchises were apparently selected in large part due to the size of the stadiums in which they play.
“Due to stadium constraints, the available venues in these areas do not align with our new vision of focusing on smaller, more intimate settings that elevate the fan experience,” reads a league statement provided to SBJ.
Even though the Panthers and Brahmas were among the better-attended in the eight-team league, Michigan’s Ford Field (58,300) and San Antonio’s Alamodome (73,000) were hard to fill. Memphis, meanwhile, finished last in league attendance in the 58,000-seat Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
Previously, it had been reported that the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Roughnecks, Memphis Showboats, and Michigan Panthers would be relocated to Boise, Columbus, Florida (likely Orlando), and Kentucky (Louisville). Columbus has been confirmed as a 2026 UFL market, but the others remain TBD.
While overall attendance declined by 5% last season and TV ratings took a significant dip, it appears that the league’s focus will now be on maximizing attendance at smaller stadiums.
“When you have 14,000 fans in an arena that fits 60,000, it looks empty,” investor Mike Repole, who is taking over business operations for the UFL, said. “When you have 14,000 in a place that sits 15,000, it’s standing room only. Changing the optics is very important.”
Despite the contraction, sagging ratings, and low attendance, Repole sees not just a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel but a chance to fulfill the promise of successful spring pro football.
“We’re going to be aggressive as far as being nimble and scrappy and gritty and making aggressive moves,” he said in July. “If by 2035, if we can’t have 16 teams, I’m going to consider it a personal failure. This is it. Other leagues didn’t have the capital that this league has, didn’t have the media giants that this league has, didn’t have the entrepreneurs that this team has.”