Birmingham and Houston were dropped.
Mike Repole is looking for two markets for his investment. The United Football League. Repole and his partners have decided that Birmingham and Houston are no longer good fits for what he envisions the spring football league needs. Repole is looking for two markets immediately to fill out the league which presently has six markets, Arlington, Texas, Columbus, Ohio, Louisville, Orlando, St. Louis and Washington. Repole needs eight teams in 2027. Oklahoma City is entering the league in 2028 but Repole needs 10 teams so he is looking for a third market and then two more markets for 2030 to get the UFL up to 12 teams although that timetable could be adjusted by a year.
Why were Birmingham and Houston jettisoned? “With Birmingham, this decision was 100 percent due to the wrong sized venue,” Repole said. “Even on opening day, when 16,000 Stallions fans showed up, the energy, passion, and game atmosphere was not felt due to the size of the venue. Houston is a great sports city, and the stadium has been an outstanding partner and venue. The reality is that we did not give this market the consistency it deserved. Between venue changes, team-name changes, and different approaches, we made it difficult to build lasting momentum.” Spring football is a difficult business in the United States. This iteration of spring football, the United Football League, grew out of a merger between the XFL and United States Football League in 2023. Neither was financially stable. The new entity had teams in Arlington, Birmingham, Detroit, Houston, Memphis, San Antonio, St. Louis and Washington. Only three of the original eight cities have teams ready to go in 2027. Repole is looking and the league claims it has interested potential partners around the country. The UFL is a minor league at best.
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