After five seasons — the longest stint of professional spring football in the city’s history — the UFL announced that it’s ceasing operations in Birmingham. Public officials said the league blames its decision on the optics of the Stallion crowds being dwarfed inside the 47,000-seat Protective Stadium. The median capacity for venues in the league’s eight cities in the most recent seasons was 21,250. “They said the stadium didn’t provide the atmosphere they were seeking and did not fit in their business model,” said Jimmie Stephens, chair of the Jefferson County Commission. The Stallions won three successive titles in 2022, 2023 (USFL) and 2024 (UFL) — before firing head coach Skip Holtz and replacing him with former Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron. The Stallions went 4-6 this season and missed the playoffs for the first time. The announcement isn’t a complete surprise, given recent social media rants by billionaire co-owner Mike Repole who acquired a majority stake in the UFL l...