United Football League

[dismayed]

I decided to hop on here really quick because I was watching HDNet and an advertisement for United Football League (UFL) came on. Apparently it is a new upstart that wants to compete with the NFL. I had never heard of it before and so I looked online to see what it was all about and I found this:

Where will the UFL have teams?

The UFL is targeting major U.S. markets currently underserved in professional football: Austin, Birmingham, Columbus, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, New York, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Raleigh, Sacramento and San Antonio. In addition, the UFL is looking at international cities Mexico City and London.

I thought this was kind of interesting. I was wondering if anyone knows anything about this? The last discussion on this board about the league was a year or two ago (and I think the thread was locked). Just wondering if anyone has any updates.

United Football League (UFL) - Where Future Stars Come to Play!

United Football League | About the UFL

[theparkman81]

I think it will be cool if we got a team, and it was great that we were on the list of potental cities that may get of team, I think we'll end up with a team in about of year or so.

[Richard at Remax]

Where would they play though? Norman? I remember reading a dated article how OKC is one of the few cities its size that doesn't have a 20K plus stadium within its city limits.

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

I think you got to let this thing play out first before thinking a football team is coming here. For all anyone knows, this will fold after this year.

[metro]

They've been talking about this since 2007.

http://www.okctalk.com/sports-mania/...ering-okc.html

[bluedogok]

Where would they play though? Norman? I remember reading a dated article how OKC is one of the few cities its size that doesn't have a 20K plus stadium within its city limits.

Technically there are many of the "pro" cities whose stadiums (or arenas) are not within the "city limits" but are in the metro areas. Just in the NFL the Dallas Cowboys (Irving and now Arlington) and both New York teams have played outside their city limits in New Jersey since the early 70's. Arizona/Phoenix has always played in Tempe or Glendale, The Redskins have played in Maryland since moving from RFK. Playing in a stadium in Norman would be no different than any other franchise.

[Richard at Remax]

as for your stadiums, arlington is in a city of almost 400k smack in the middle of 6 million. east rutherford is 5 miles from downtown manhattan. landover, ma is about 9 miles from downtown DC. I do agree with Glendale, but PHx is growing rapily in that direction and will fill in soon. Thing is, all of these are NFL teams in NFL stadiums. They draw for hundreds of miles.

this seems like a league where you need as many people as you can get and I don't think, due to the talent and distant from most of the metro, than many people will drive all the way to norman. plus it looks like they play thier games are played during college season and I think the back and forth to norman would wear on people. sorry I just don't think this is something we should go after

[bluedogok]

Oh I think it will probably end up like all the others that have tried, failing. I was just stating that "city limits" means little in terms of where stadiums are located.

It does seem to me that they should be playing in MLS sized stadiums (20-30,000) and not NFL or large college stadiums.

[dismayed]

They've been talking about this since 2007.

http://www.okctalk.com/sports-mania/...ering-okc.html

You didn't read my entire post did you.

[dismayed]

It is interesting that we are on the list of cities they would like to target. I don't know if anyone in the city or business community has actually talked to these folks, but it is nice to see OKC is being talked about in other parts of the country for things such as this.

[Laramie]

Like dismayed pointed out--if the USL survives?

UCO's Wantland Stadium--current capacity 10,000 would be the most likely place for a team to play.

There are other options: Enlarging Moses F. Miller Stadium--current capacity 7,000 (Douglass High School Campus); Enlarging AT&T Bricktown Ballpark--current capacity13,100 and yes Taft Stadium--current 14,500 is due for some improvements (Terrible parking; restrooms, ancient site).

If we pass MAPS III, Look for a football-soccer stadium with a minimum pernament seating capacity of 25,000 to be on the MAPS IV along with more street cars, Oklahoma River upgrades, and improvements to AT&T Bricktown Ballpark.

[z28james]

this was on the vs. channel the other night, seemed ok. They play regular nfl rules from what I could tell, looked professional, had some fans there. The only thing that bugged me was that there are only 4 teams and the season is short, probobly becuase they are seeing if there is an interest, I think it would go over ok here.

They have a website too.

United Football League (UFL) - Where Future Stars Come to Play!

[RedDirt717]

this was on the vs. channel the other night, seemed ok. They play regular nfl rules from what I could tell, looked professional, had some fans there. The only thing that bugged me was that there are only 4 teams and the season is short, probobly becuase they are seeing if there is an interest, I think it would go over ok here.

They have a website too.

United Football League (UFL) - Where Future Stars Come to Play!

Wow, the UFL logo looks very, um familiar...

Please Clay Bennett Change the Thunder logo as soon as possible.

[Laramie]

T. Boone Pickens was thought to be a person that they were pursuing as an owner in this league.

Does anyone think that this league would be good with an Oklahoma City-Tulsa shared "Oklahoma" team playing in Stillwater, OK?

I'm sure Mr. Pickens would have no trouble securing Boone Pickens Stadium for these games on days that wouldn't conflict with OSU, if he is still interested.

What are your thoughts?

A two-headed Kingfisher snake or eagle could represent both cities to serve as a mascot.

You're looking at this league doubling size possibly next year.

[metro]

No, no way I'd drive up to Stillwater to watch it, and most OU fans wouldn't either, mainly because of the drive, not because I'm an OU fan. It'd make more sense to have OKC and Tulsa teams.

[betts]

Ex-Pro Bowler Ahman Green signs with UFL's Omaha Nighthawks - The Huddle: Football News from the NFL - USATODAY.com

Maybe this league will end up being legit, if Ahman Green and Dante Culpepper are going to play. This might be a great option for OKC. Sacramento, Las Vegas, Hartford, Omaha and Orlando are the current team locations.

[emw1973]

Ive been following this league for the past yr and a half now and have found it interesting that it has survived its first season and is expanding but very, very slowly. A couple months ago there was mention about Salt Lake City getting a team but not as of yet.

It may take 3 or 4 seasons to see if the UFL will survive through these economic times, or if it will suffer the same fate as the USFL and the XFL. Personally, I am fed up with the NFL, and would like to see some other football than the corrupt NFL.

Interesting to note that there is a site, NewUSFL.com that has been retrying to ignite the old league beginning this time in Feb '11, but it has been saying this for a couple yrs now, I doubt this will happen. RIP USFL.

Regardless, if the ol' USFL never re-evolves which I doubt, the UFL is an interesting alternative to the same boring NO FUN LEAGUE. Btw, I like the Las Vegas Locomotives. They won the UFL Chamionship last season.

[emw1973]

Any new news on the UFL expansion?.

[BrettM2]

They contracted a team before the season began and cancelled the final two-three weeks of the season to save money. Don't count on anything.

[UrbanNebraska]

For anyone curious. The UFL is on, well, rough times. I am surprised every year when they come back and will be really surprised if they ever are able to afford expansion. The shortened season last year has left a really bad stigma around the league for the fans. The league used to average ~15K a game with Omaha pulling +20K crowds. Now this season the league is getting around 3000 a game and they are behind on paying players already. I hope the league can recover, I enjoy the product and the atmosphere we used to have. Seeing Jeff Garcia and Ahman Green play for our own team was really cool. I am betting my T-**** will only be worthy of nostalgia pretty soon though.

Omaha hosts Vegas tonight, it will be on CBS Sports Network, but there wont be much of a crowd like we used to have. One the bright side the grounds crew at TD Ameritrade Park knows how to maintain a stadium.

[jedicurt]

wow... that stadium os gorgeous

[Martin]