The Future of the Stallions in Birmingham beyond 2026 comes down to Attendance

When the 2025 United Football League season ended with the championship game at the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri, it didn’t take long for rumors to begin swirling about the future of several underperforming cities due either to poor attendance, or new league co-owner Mike Repole’s vision of playing games in smaller, more intimate settings. Among them, the two time USFL champion and inaugural UFL title winner Birmingham Stallions came very close to joining three cities who were among those who lost franchises. Detroit (Panthers), Memphis (Showboats), and San Antonio (Brahmas) were shown the door and replaced with the Louisville Kings, the Orlando Storm, and the Columbus Aviators, all who share in common one thing, small arenas. Attendance wasn’t necessarily the problem for Michigan. The Panthers actually saw a nice increase last season, but the lack of a viable, smaller stadium to relocate the franchise ultimately led to their demise. In the case of San Antonio, while their attendance wasn’t necessarily poor, the 64K size Alamo Dome did not fall in line with Repole’s definition of small and intimate. Then there is Birmingham. The Stallions were sixth in attendance within the league, averaging just 8,794 per game. The Stallions also play in one of the largest stadiums in the UFL. Protective Stadium seats 47K, and Birmingham has been the most successful franchise in spring football by far. How did Birmingham, who was widely rumored to be on the chopping block, manage to stay intact? According to AL.com, Repole decided not to relocate the franchise because “he viewed the city as a strategic market with a deep-rooted passion for football that not yet had been fully captured by the league’s marketing efforts.” The hiring of local legend A.J. McCarron as head coach could result in an increase in game attendance. Another factor, although not necessarily cited by Repole, to keep the franchise in the Magic City, is TV ratings. Birmingham had the highest Nielsen ratings of any UFL city, averaging a robust 1.6 share. One thing is certain, Repole has made it known that Birmingham will determine its own fate going forward, and a marked increase in attendance will be the deciding factor.