# @aldotcom on YouTube

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://youtube.com/watch?v=dlZFPT9eoDE
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/68460378-aldotcom-youtube
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/4fdaf49023.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-07-30T20:57:22.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** AL.com (@aldotcom) — https://gondola.cc/aldotcom

## Caption

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 last year.

In June, Repole posted saying he had a "hard time" seeing them at Protective Stadium and "looked into Hoover." Even prior to 2026 season, Repole threatened to pull the Stallions if ticket sales didn't increase.

They did according to Gene Hallman of Eventive, which handled ticket sales. The franchise had “substantial ticket revenue growth from 2025 to 2026. We’re not coming off a season where our numbers declined.”

“We covered the entire cost of utilization of Protective Stadium,” Stephens added. “The league’s only cost was that of operating their football team, which it will incur no matter where they operate.”

“The only thing you can say is the facility swallows the crowd that comes to a UFL game. Not a Birmingham UFL game, but a UFL game.”

Stephens said he tried to persuade league officials to give the Stallions a three-year window for continued growth but their decision was already made.

Read more on AL.com

#localnews #sports #football #birminghamalabama #birminghamal

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## Tags

birminghamalabama, sports, localnews, birminghamal, football

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