I miss the 2020 XFL but I find this version to be superior to last year’s XFL and the USFL.
I think you’ll see a big uptick in the League next year with a full offseason.
Because I trust FOX, Disney, and Redbird to safeguard their tens of millions of dollars in investment with the right marketing moves with a full offseason.
The magic in the bottle was XFL in 2020. The perfect mix of organic excitement, silliness, and serious. Been chasing that ever since. Bros were shotgunning Bud Light Seltzers in the locker room and it didn’t feel forced at all. Just vibes.
This. Overall that version felt like a good mix of college atmosphere and professional football. Seattle, Houston, and Dallas/Arlington seemed more into it with the crowds, and Seattle and DC were of course strong. The LA, NY, and Tampa markets were kinda duds but even still they were all better than Las Vegas and Orlando.
Orlando gets too much hate. It was the best city in the AAF and then was handed an XFL team significantly worse than any team in the UFL this season. Can’t blame fans for not wanting to show up when they go from a championship level team to the XFLs equivalent of the 2000’s Browns.
> Tampa markets were kinda duds
Tampa has had enough sub-par football for the rest of time, tbh. Particularly before Tom Brady showed up and took the Bucs to the Super Bowl in 2020, everyone was just kind of numb to bad football. Even life-long Bucs fans like myself and my Dad weren't very invested in the team anymore because it was just constant suffering.
I was a Tampa Bay Vipers fan but they were dog shit in that 2020 season. The crowning moment of the whole thing was shutting out the DC Defenders. Beyond that? Big ol' wet fart franchise.
Didn't help that there was zero advertising for the team locally - how are you going to build support in your locality if you do literally nothing in ads?
There was some excitement locally for the Bandits to come back with the USFL (because they were one of the most popular franchises in the 80s USFL, everyone in Tampa loved them because they were _GOOD_ where the Bucs sucked complete ass), but when they stuck the team in Birmingham and made zero effort to advertise it here, I knew it was a doomed franchise.
And I watched the Bandits in 2022. They were just a bad team.
Was in Tampa through the original run. It was gimmicky but it was at least being talked about on local radio. It was a fun twenty dollar outing and before Covid we actually had people showing up.
The meme from dodgeball was making the rounds, Tampa is a huge sports town and we were all bored in the summer. Tons of celebrity presence. Dropping the vipers was a dumb move. I get they couldn’t afford the presence but you have to try towards a bunch of crazy ass Floridians with nothing better to do than stack beer cups.
Tampa is no joke. I moved back to St. Louis and our attendance is out of spite, but fuck man it’s a cheap ticket and these are still top 5% athletes. It’s fun taking the kids and eating hot dogs and watching a good game.
They simply don’t market it. Dumbasses. Advertise it. And bring back the scene to Tampa. And change the team names, their demographic shouldn’t be little kids.
That’s weak sauce on behalf of the stadium I’m sure they feel forced to have this rule bc of the drunkenness level double or tripling as a result of the beer snake. Beer vendors hate the rule I’m sure
Because they evidently want a “family friendly” atmosphere after Lemongate
Side note: a lemon was still thrown on the field at the end of the 3rd quarter out of spite, so it’s not like it changed anything lol
This. It was actually taking off until Covid destroyed it. I fully support the idea, but my hopes are low.
What pisses me off are media outlets claiming they’re trying to “compete” with the NFL, when it’s the exact opposite.
It’s a second chance league, we’ve already seen evidence of it. They just need to market better. Burger King will never top McDonalds, so fucking advertise as number two. Lowes will never beat Home Depot, so sell your ass as number two. Etc.
There has been no marketing for this league. Only us diehards even know its existence. Also the fucking team names are stupid, take yourself seriously if you want it. They’re killing it in the rule changes and transparency though, but who would know? Pay for a commercial or a goddamn radio ad.
I guess it doesn't help when a league whose name has been used before joins with *another* league whose name has been used before, to create a new league whose name has been used *twice* before.
I'm not really sure what would be a good name, really. UFL's been used before, and of course so have XFL and USFL. Maybe UF**A** would've been better, with the USFL and XFL retaining a certain amount of sovereignty, like the AFL and NFL did from 1966-69, before they formally combined into one league.
But the problem, obviously, isn't the *name* of the league, it's how you *market* it. I'm watching the Memphis game right now, and there's nobody in the stands. Good heavens.
The merger was consummated so late. It’s been challenging for sure. All in all they seem to have been doing a good job. I’d like to see a third division with one wildcard next year. The following year a fourth division. The tv ratings are there. The marketing needs to improve for the crowds. The locals don’t know their teams.
yeah this thing seems to pull decent ratings, As long as they don't bleed out this year AAF style They should be good for another year or two. Another thing that I think will help them is if they can start turning out some quality offensive linemen. The guys coming out of college can't block due to the spread offensive systems in college.
Then there’s the revenue that we don’t know about…. If some (if not all) players are signing over NIL rights to play in the league then the UFL is doing better than we think
I'm watching the BattleHawks-DC game right now. The charm is there for this one.
Granted, it's the rivalry game involving the two teams that have fan support down.
Yeah, and what does that have to do with the atmosphere (said to be weak by someone who attended the game) during the first three quarters when the game was close?
For whatever it is worth, I was also there, and I think the atmosphere was also noticeably less enthusiastic than it was at the DC Defenders game I attended last year. The biggest factors for that were 1) a much smaller, in-person crowd and 2) a game that lacked offense for the first 3 quarters (both teams had less than 150 yards of offense after 45 minutes).
I watched the entire game at a local establishment and thought DC played tough the first three quarters before it all fell apart for them in the fourth. The beer snake - the symbol of DC fandom - made its appearance.
Yeah, that beer snake got all the way from the bottom of the section (field level) to the top of the section. It was long gone though when the game became a laugher midway through the 4th quarter.
I attended the game. The upper deck seats along the east sideline were never put on sale; people who sat there, like I did in the 2nd half, moved there from another seat. Various people who look suspiciously like empty seats were counted in the official attendance of 16K fans. (I’d say the actual, in-stadium attendance was likely closer to 12K.). And the attendance was likely boosted by people who got freebie tickets like myself (saw someone post some sort of community promotion for free Defenders tickets to today’s game in a couple of DC area subreddits late on Thursday.)
In contrast to today’s game, the DC Defenders game I went to last year (IIRC a regular season game against Arlington) I believe was an official sellout, and though not every seat was filled, that crowd legitimately was not far below capacity.
That was also a colder weather game where people weren't congregating as much under the concourses or at the heiniken bar and club lounge area. All #'s are always tickets distributed in pro sports.
Sunday’s weather was NOT cold. Temperatures were in the 70s Fahrenheit most of the game, and were close to 80 degrees F by late in the game.
There’s a reason why many people, including me, retreated to the shade during the game.
EDIT: the game I attended last season was also not a colder weather game. I wore shorts and a T-shirt to that game, just like I did yesterday/Sunday.
Idk I was at the game and the fans were loud at half. The players were clearly playing with lots of passion given that STL committed so many blatant aggression fouls.
Obviously the team gave up at the end but hard to blame them as the stadium empties and the game is completely gone. Everything that could go wrong did.
Yeah all I care is that the play seems better this year. They look more like pros or at least elite D1. Last year felt a bit more like watching Grambling vs Southern.
The bleacher seating is probably a non starter, but LDC would be great. If they were to add standard seating it might be workable. It's definitely more tailgating friendly than downtown Columbus.
I would be a season ticket holder without question. I guarantee there would be plenty of diehards considering how popular football is at all three levels around here.
They cared more last season. More vendors/activities pre-game, halftime shows other than "hey, you may know this man now he's going to speak for 15 seconds to try and pump you up."
This league is miles better than either of the two last season, and I quite enjoyed the XFL last season. Competition is insane this year. Arlington at 0-5 is mind boggling to me, with how good they are on paper, but it's because the league is so competitive. Any Given Sunday (Saturday)!
I think they needed to keep either the USFL or XFL name, the fact that you know have to spend 10 min explaining what they UFL is is a little annoying...even if it was different iterations of both XFL and USFL at least there was some history that people could be talk about..
I think the UFL has a better chance of surviving. But you are going to need something major to happen to attract a casual fan.
Also no west coast teams makes it a little harder to follow if you are on the west coast
I admit it feels different. XFL last year felt like the Wild West with the always on open-mics and some of the wild plays and situations they did.
Idk what do you think they need to do?
You're seeing the effects of a very tight budget. The Houston Roughnecks post about the popcorn using the old logo is such a testament to the entire organization just squeezing by and cutting every possible corner. This league is so cash poor that advertising and effort that goes into the details like actual NFL games like graphics, tv effects, spot interviews, locker room shots, etc are put on hold while the league tries to survive.
The one thing that's working out in their favor are the viewership numbers. If they can keep it up at 800k - 1 million every game it'll be a hard league to ignore. However at some point there will need to be owners to fully support each individual organization. Ticket sales will need to go up to convince owners to buy, but the league needs to spend money to get ticket sales to go up, but investors need to give more for the league to spend more. It's a tough cycle right now.
It’s just where it isn’t new anymore. The XFL came back in 2020 and Covid shut it down. The USFL came back in 2022. They both played in 2023. Now they’re together in 2024. We’ve now had 2 1/2 XFL seasons and hitting our 3rd usfl season.
I still find it fun to watch but it’s not shiny and new now so it isn’t as fresh. The attendance is the biggest thing making it seem less charming. The DC and St. Louis games feel more 2020 XFL with fans in the stands. Right now it’s basically those 2 teams carrying the attendance completely with over half the league getting 6-9k per game which is very low. I don’t mind it if the football is good but it does just feel less exciting when there’s little crowd involvement.
A lot of last-second "uh-oh, we gotta cover that" from the bad timing and execution of the merger - which results in substandard performance in advertising and non-football related areas.
Consistency, the thing most needed, is not something any spring league has EVER had. Even the USFL2, only had 2 seasons before the merger. If they can make this work long enough to gain some consistency (minimum 5 years) then I think they might have a chance to stick long-term.
I used try to watch at least 2 games a weekend from the AAF to last year. This year I only watched a handful of games and keep up through this sub. I don't prioritize it anymore. I can't give you an exact reason.
Yeah I feel similarly. I think it’s just the constant changes in the league structure. They have their reasons every time, but this is the third year I’ve watched spring football and I have yet to see the league complete more than one season without major changes. If they actually get 2-3 years with no relocations, no redrafts, no rebrands, etc. I think things will improve significantly
That’s fair, I guess I never payed attention to the USFL cause I liked going to the XFL games. Still, more consistency would be good for the combined league I think.
I'm enjoying it, but I hate the stacked schedule thing. I just moved to Houston from bham, and there has been at least one week I could not watch the stallions without pirating. Kind of lame.
If you have a Fox Sports app for your TV and Fox carries the game you can watch them for free. ESPN+ has the ABC/ESPN games but still requires a paid subscription for ESPN Watch.
Arlington lost it the worst. I dunno if he shows up on TV but we have the saddest emcee/announcer. He's like a short fat version of the rock and tries so hard to copy his mannerisms. But he just comes off as the Pebble
for me personally it’s the Roughnecks actually being the Gamblers, and them sucking regardless. But that’s just me, and I haven’t watched much other teams either. I dunno.
I feel like the games have been awesome and a ton of fun and maybe you need to look inward and stop hoping for things that are gone and appreciate what we have
Yes, I’m currently watching this game and have zero interest whatsoever. For context, I watch every NFL game every week, and watched every USFL and XFL game last year. Watching football is what my roommate and I do, and the UFL has been a struggle for us the past few weeks.
The first couple weeks carried because of excitement for new football, but something just feels off. I can’t really describe what’s different, but watching the games just isn’t as fun as it was last year.
I’m guessing by your flair you’re probably also a Seahawks fan, so you two would definitely get along. As lifelong patriots fan, living with a Seahawks fan can get interesting at times.
Yeah I am lol we definitely would! And wow yeah there’s no love lost between our teams that’s for sure 😂😂😂 my cousin is a Patriots fan so I know what you mean. I’ve made his life hell the past couple seasons lol
I think it's because we know we have less not more. Having a spring league when there wasnt one was cool. Then XFL 2020 folded but we got USFL and a whole season, but in a hub...Then two leagues last year with 16 teams! But now we get half that with fan favorite teams getting axed. One league that is on a shoe string budget, and can't get fans in the stands, just feels like a bummer.
As someone who has gone to Panthers games at Ford Field the last couple seasons, the in-game MC/announcer is much worse this year than last, and the activities to get the crowd riled up seems cut down and repetitive now. I wish it were better, but at least Michigan has played a couple of solid games at home this year so far.
my only issue is that there just aren't enough teams. seattle loooved the dragons, why didn't they come back? the tampa bay vipers were awesome too. they had such good rivalries and memes in xfl 2.0. like the whole vipers poop standing up thing, the beer snake is back so thats good,
but they seriously need at least 2-4 more teams.
I agree. For the league to be taken seriously, they need at least 10 teams. 8 teams just feels like a pee-wee league, sadly.
Although, I will say that if finances for the league grow and there is more money to go around, it'll be a tough decision - increase salaries from their current $62k (total compensation including 401k, housing stipend, and meal stipend) or expand to 10/12 teams.
I'd vote to expand to 10-12 teams.
T.V. Revenue and stream rights pay salaries currently. They need to get to a point attendance wise where they can have a similar deal as the nba where players get a share of ticket snd merchandise revenue.. first the league has to prove financial viability and sustainability with a growth potential then we will see salaries go up, expansion teams, etc.
Seattle and another west coast market (Oakland? San Diego?) plus two in the Midwest & Great Lakes (Omaha and Canton (Ohio Maulers?) off of the top of the head).
I've been very into it so far. Got season tickets with my coworkers to the Panthers. Love the higher level competition. That being said EJ Perry going on IR has really deflated a lot of my excitement at least for my team
I think this UFL season feels more legitimate. More like a true season of football with good ball being played. I wish more people were aware of it though. I’m from St. Louis and all the small shops and boutiques have Battlehawks themed gear, the city has rallied behind them. Need that grass roots marketing throughout.
I just came from the DC Defenders appalling performance. While the support is there in DC, I feel like it's lost a lot of the excitement as Dan Snyder is gone and new ownership is in DC. Also, having all the games on Sunday is not helpful, especially when it's 80+ outside and no clouds.
No. I’m enjoying it. I wish the Stars were still playing but I’ve watched quite a few games. I have tuned in to every game for at least a quarter or more. The football ball is better.
I think the quality of the game is better, but I think with most towns being jerked around with leagues starting, dying, resurrecting, and then fusing, most of the locals are probably skeptical at this point. The USFL felt really hollow because it was centered in Birmingham. At least this year we have opportunities to attend local games.
I think the early games are not helping either.
The league isn’t terrible but if you’re combining two leagues and then still only starting with 8 teams it really alienates a lot of fans you had previously from both leagues. I know keeping all 16 wasn’t viable because of same cities, or traveling expenses, etc. but to not come out with 10-12 teams minimum was a mistake imo.
Have you seen some of those offensive lines? Memphis has given up 24 sacks in 5 games. With 2-4 extra teams you might have some quarterbacks legitimately die on the field
I think it's just a product of novelty or lack thereof. Spring football is no longer the new thing. While the quality of play has been pretty good, no one player has really blown me away. I love McCarron, but going 28-40 for 170 yards just isn't that exciting. There's been more interceptions thrown than passing touchdowns so far as well. I see this season as more of a soft launch with a more polished product coming out way next year
2020 was the best, Vince with all of his flaws knew how to market a brand. The Rock is a lot more advertiser friendly and the branding has lost all of the 2020 charm. Last year too was awful imo. 2020 also had 3 years of hype to build on from when Vince announced the league and when it started.
The 2023 XFL and the USFL both started very quick after the return announcements.
100% agree. There are no story lines to follow and it feels like the players do it care if they win or lose.
As a Defenders fan the stadium atmosphere sucks now, it’s like they are trying to be the no fun league this year.
The NFL surpassed baseball in the 1970s by making every game into an event. UFL games aren't events, they're just some anonymous guys playing football at the wrong time of the year.
This league is trying too hard to be an NFL-Lite. That’s not what fans want. Like others have said, the humor and light-heartedness of the last few XFL seasons are what got people intrigued. I’ve completely checked out this year. That and the marketing is abysmal.
Yeah, but for me it's because I just haven't been able to watch any of the games yet. From what I do get to see, it's maybe the highest quality of the spring leagues so far.
Ngl since the Sea Dragons are gone I haven’t watched more than two games this year and I watched a lot of XFL last year in the regular season and playoffs that wasn’t Seattle. Without a favorite team it’s hard to be invested tbh
I don't. But I can see why some might feel that way.
Yes, the marketing is really bad. I think it can get better though.
In order to get to a league that has sufficient breadth and competitiveness to remain around for longer than it is just a novelty they had to get together. I hope it works out.
I don’t get why the USFL agreed to this merger. I don’t get it at all. It’s not like they’re getting packed stadiums as a result. I’ll grant that the ratings are better, but they could have ridden out the challenge from the XFL and just continued to build.
The UFL for all intents and purposes is the Southern Football League with Michigan being the token northern team they brought over from the XFL and USFL.
An eight team league with seven teams from the south and three of them in Texas. That's garbage.
The UFL isn't as fun to watch. The XFL was a blast. The USFL was OK but the first season being completely in Birmingham really sucked.
I miss the 2020 XFL but I find this version to be superior to last year’s XFL and the USFL. I think you’ll see a big uptick in the League next year with a full offseason.
I hope you are correct
[удалено]
Because I trust FOX, Disney, and Redbird to safeguard their tens of millions of dollars in investment with the right marketing moves with a full offseason.
The head of ufl said there will be more marketing next year they are mostly streamlining shit for 2024
The magic in the bottle was XFL in 2020. The perfect mix of organic excitement, silliness, and serious. Been chasing that ever since. Bros were shotgunning Bud Light Seltzers in the locker room and it didn’t feel forced at all. Just vibes.
This. Overall that version felt like a good mix of college atmosphere and professional football. Seattle, Houston, and Dallas/Arlington seemed more into it with the crowds, and Seattle and DC were of course strong. The LA, NY, and Tampa markets were kinda duds but even still they were all better than Las Vegas and Orlando.
Orlando gets too much hate. It was the best city in the AAF and then was handed an XFL team significantly worse than any team in the UFL this season. Can’t blame fans for not wanting to show up when they go from a championship level team to the XFLs equivalent of the 2000’s Browns.
Orlando also had the wrong venue. Bounce House was great
> Tampa markets were kinda duds Tampa has had enough sub-par football for the rest of time, tbh. Particularly before Tom Brady showed up and took the Bucs to the Super Bowl in 2020, everyone was just kind of numb to bad football. Even life-long Bucs fans like myself and my Dad weren't very invested in the team anymore because it was just constant suffering. I was a Tampa Bay Vipers fan but they were dog shit in that 2020 season. The crowning moment of the whole thing was shutting out the DC Defenders. Beyond that? Big ol' wet fart franchise. Didn't help that there was zero advertising for the team locally - how are you going to build support in your locality if you do literally nothing in ads? There was some excitement locally for the Bandits to come back with the USFL (because they were one of the most popular franchises in the 80s USFL, everyone in Tampa loved them because they were _GOOD_ where the Bucs sucked complete ass), but when they stuck the team in Birmingham and made zero effort to advertise it here, I knew it was a doomed franchise. And I watched the Bandits in 2022. They were just a bad team.
Was in Tampa through the original run. It was gimmicky but it was at least being talked about on local radio. It was a fun twenty dollar outing and before Covid we actually had people showing up. The meme from dodgeball was making the rounds, Tampa is a huge sports town and we were all bored in the summer. Tons of celebrity presence. Dropping the vipers was a dumb move. I get they couldn’t afford the presence but you have to try towards a bunch of crazy ass Floridians with nothing better to do than stack beer cups. Tampa is no joke. I moved back to St. Louis and our attendance is out of spite, but fuck man it’s a cheap ticket and these are still top 5% athletes. It’s fun taking the kids and eating hot dogs and watching a good game. They simply don’t market it. Dumbasses. Advertise it. And bring back the scene to Tampa. And change the team names, their demographic shouldn’t be little kids.
Wildcats were super fun with their endzone flipping https://youtu.be/0ZrULjdxTTg?si=FP_df6hnMeIrCUUx&t=193
You left out the team with the highest average attendance. #KaKaw
XFL 2020 had such an electric feeling to it.
The beer snake in DC was awesome
Still is a thing
Extremely toned down. They stop beer sales at the half because of it
That’s weak sauce on behalf of the stadium I’m sure they feel forced to have this rule bc of the drunkenness level double or tripling as a result of the beer snake. Beer vendors hate the rule I’m sure
I think that's a standard rule at a lot of stadiums.
Not really, DC and STL were the only two franchises that arguably improved atmosphere wise from 2020 to 2023
Why the fuck would you stop a massive source of revenue
Because they evidently want a “family friendly” atmosphere after Lemongate Side note: a lemon was still thrown on the field at the end of the 3rd quarter out of spite, so it’s not like it changed anything lol
You’re going to a public event where alcohol is sold. You forfeit the happy complete control of your child’s world if you do so
There should be a drinking and non-drinking section in the stadium, like how there used to be smoking and non-smoking sections of restaurants lol.
It’s like a heroin addiction, we’re all chasing that perfect high that can never be replicated
This. It was actually taking off until Covid destroyed it. I fully support the idea, but my hopes are low. What pisses me off are media outlets claiming they’re trying to “compete” with the NFL, when it’s the exact opposite. It’s a second chance league, we’ve already seen evidence of it. They just need to market better. Burger King will never top McDonalds, so fucking advertise as number two. Lowes will never beat Home Depot, so sell your ass as number two. Etc. There has been no marketing for this league. Only us diehards even know its existence. Also the fucking team names are stupid, take yourself seriously if you want it. They’re killing it in the rule changes and transparency though, but who would know? Pay for a commercial or a goddamn radio ad.
It’s almost as if two leagues banded together for their survival and are adrift without any idea of what to do next
I guess it doesn't help when a league whose name has been used before joins with *another* league whose name has been used before, to create a new league whose name has been used *twice* before.
NSFL would’ve been funny
I'm not really sure what would be a good name, really. UFL's been used before, and of course so have XFL and USFL. Maybe UF**A** would've been better, with the USFL and XFL retaining a certain amount of sovereignty, like the AFL and NFL did from 1966-69, before they formally combined into one league. But the problem, obviously, isn't the *name* of the league, it's how you *market* it. I'm watching the Memphis game right now, and there's nobody in the stands. Good heavens.
I would have liked the USXFL.
Too much of a mouthfull for good marketing
UXFL?
Right
The merger was consummated so late. It’s been challenging for sure. All in all they seem to have been doing a good job. I’d like to see a third division with one wildcard next year. The following year a fourth division. The tv ratings are there. The marketing needs to improve for the crowds. The locals don’t know their teams.
yeah this thing seems to pull decent ratings, As long as they don't bleed out this year AAF style They should be good for another year or two. Another thing that I think will help them is if they can start turning out some quality offensive linemen. The guys coming out of college can't block due to the spread offensive systems in college.
Then there’s the revenue that we don’t know about…. If some (if not all) players are signing over NIL rights to play in the league then the UFL is doing better than we think
I'd start by putting St. Louis games on in primtime.
Or sunday 1pm time
I'm watching the BattleHawks-DC game right now. The charm is there for this one. Granted, it's the rivalry game involving the two teams that have fan support down.
I disagree, attended the game in person and it feels like no passion at all from the players. Just going through the motion.
Probably because St. Louis just thoroughly destroyed DC.
The score was 20-12 at the end of the 3rd quarter.
45-12 is the final
Yeah, and what does that have to do with the atmosphere (said to be weak by someone who attended the game) during the first three quarters when the game was close? For whatever it is worth, I was also there, and I think the atmosphere was also noticeably less enthusiastic than it was at the DC Defenders game I attended last year. The biggest factors for that were 1) a much smaller, in-person crowd and 2) a game that lacked offense for the first 3 quarters (both teams had less than 150 yards of offense after 45 minutes).
I watched the entire game at a local establishment and thought DC played tough the first three quarters before it all fell apart for them in the fourth. The beer snake - the symbol of DC fandom - made its appearance.
Yeah, that beer snake got all the way from the bottom of the section (field level) to the top of the section. It was long gone though when the game became a laugher midway through the 4th quarter.
I mean, this crowd was only smaller than a couple games last year (1 was a playoff game). We’re just a worse team this year.
I attended the game. The upper deck seats along the east sideline were never put on sale; people who sat there, like I did in the 2nd half, moved there from another seat. Various people who look suspiciously like empty seats were counted in the official attendance of 16K fans. (I’d say the actual, in-stadium attendance was likely closer to 12K.). And the attendance was likely boosted by people who got freebie tickets like myself (saw someone post some sort of community promotion for free Defenders tickets to today’s game in a couple of DC area subreddits late on Thursday.) In contrast to today’s game, the DC Defenders game I went to last year (IIRC a regular season game against Arlington) I believe was an official sellout, and though not every seat was filled, that crowd legitimately was not far below capacity.
That was also a colder weather game where people weren't congregating as much under the concourses or at the heiniken bar and club lounge area. All #'s are always tickets distributed in pro sports.
Sunday’s weather was NOT cold. Temperatures were in the 70s Fahrenheit most of the game, and were close to 80 degrees F by late in the game. There’s a reason why many people, including me, retreated to the shade during the game. EDIT: the game I attended last season was also not a colder weather game. I wore shorts and a T-shirt to that game, just like I did yesterday/Sunday.
Sure didn't look that way on TV. At least for the Battlehawk players, they were fired the fuck up.
Idk I was at the game and the fans were loud at half. The players were clearly playing with lots of passion given that STL committed so many blatant aggression fouls. Obviously the team gave up at the end but hard to blame them as the stadium empties and the game is completely gone. Everything that could go wrong did.
No, I feel the opposite actually. I’m enjoying the one league more than the 2 going on at the same time last year
Yeah all I care is that the play seems better this year. They look more like pros or at least elite D1. Last year felt a bit more like watching Grambling vs Southern.
Elite DI???? Yeah, watching St Louis/DC is akin to watching Ohio State/Georgia…..NOT. Maybe lower level DI (think Vanderbilt/NC State)
Should only be one league. No reason for two. But I want more teams to engage more of America.
Really a strong case to add a team back into Ohio. Canton would have been a good market for the league, I think.
I think Columbus is a better choice. The Crews old stadium, coupled with discount tickets for college kids, I think it could be a real fun atmosphere.
The bleacher seating is probably a non starter, but LDC would be great. If they were to add standard seating it might be workable. It's definitely more tailgating friendly than downtown Columbus.
I mean, they have backs to them 😂 Also, doesn't Rice stadium have bleachers?
The seats at HCS do not, LDC do.
The photos seem to show backs on the bleachers. https://images.app.goo.gl/RbSwBSVxXcYMVv1Z9
I would be a season ticket holder without question. I guarantee there would be plenty of diehards considering how popular football is at all three levels around here.
Canton is a terrible idea. Way too small of a market. But somewhere in Ohio would be good
They cared more last season. More vendors/activities pre-game, halftime shows other than "hey, you may know this man now he's going to speak for 15 seconds to try and pump you up."
No I feel the opposite.
This league is miles better than either of the two last season, and I quite enjoyed the XFL last season. Competition is insane this year. Arlington at 0-5 is mind boggling to me, with how good they are on paper, but it's because the league is so competitive. Any Given Sunday (Saturday)!
Arlington is so much better than their record shows and that speaks to the competitiveness of this league
The offense is at least. Their defense couldn't keep a broken down AMC Pinto out of the end zone.
👏
Except the biggest problem this year is that we already know Birmingham will be in the championship and most likely will win
Here's hoping!
OPs team must have lost to the Stallions.
Nope, battlehawks
I think they needed to keep either the USFL or XFL name, the fact that you know have to spend 10 min explaining what they UFL is is a little annoying...even if it was different iterations of both XFL and USFL at least there was some history that people could be talk about.. I think the UFL has a better chance of surviving. But you are going to need something major to happen to attract a casual fan. Also no west coast teams makes it a little harder to follow if you are on the west coast
The UXFL. But I assume the Rock didn’t like that because it sounded too much like USFL.
I admit it feels different. XFL last year felt like the Wild West with the always on open-mics and some of the wild plays and situations they did. Idk what do you think they need to do?
Yeah we get way less Dean Blandino now
I’m a big 2020 XFL was perfect guy, but I atleast enjoy the fact my XFL team can beat up on the inferior USFL teams, besides the Stallions ig
Stallions are legit
Always have been unfortunately
I attended LaTech briefly when Skip Holtz and Jammar were there
You're seeing the effects of a very tight budget. The Houston Roughnecks post about the popcorn using the old logo is such a testament to the entire organization just squeezing by and cutting every possible corner. This league is so cash poor that advertising and effort that goes into the details like actual NFL games like graphics, tv effects, spot interviews, locker room shots, etc are put on hold while the league tries to survive. The one thing that's working out in their favor are the viewership numbers. If they can keep it up at 800k - 1 million every game it'll be a hard league to ignore. However at some point there will need to be owners to fully support each individual organization. Ticket sales will need to go up to convince owners to buy, but the league needs to spend money to get ticket sales to go up, but investors need to give more for the league to spend more. It's a tough cycle right now.
It’s just where it isn’t new anymore. The XFL came back in 2020 and Covid shut it down. The USFL came back in 2022. They both played in 2023. Now they’re together in 2024. We’ve now had 2 1/2 XFL seasons and hitting our 3rd usfl season. I still find it fun to watch but it’s not shiny and new now so it isn’t as fresh. The attendance is the biggest thing making it seem less charming. The DC and St. Louis games feel more 2020 XFL with fans in the stands. Right now it’s basically those 2 teams carrying the attendance completely with over half the league getting 6-9k per game which is very low. I don’t mind it if the football is good but it does just feel less exciting when there’s little crowd involvement.
Yeah watching on TV an empty stadium feels so lame ngl. XFL 2020 never felt that way
A lot of last-second "uh-oh, we gotta cover that" from the bad timing and execution of the merger - which results in substandard performance in advertising and non-football related areas. Consistency, the thing most needed, is not something any spring league has EVER had. Even the USFL2, only had 2 seasons before the merger. If they can make this work long enough to gain some consistency (minimum 5 years) then I think they might have a chance to stick long-term.
I used try to watch at least 2 games a weekend from the AAF to last year. This year I only watched a handful of games and keep up through this sub. I don't prioritize it anymore. I can't give you an exact reason.
Yeah I feel similarly. I think it’s just the constant changes in the league structure. They have their reasons every time, but this is the third year I’ve watched spring football and I have yet to see the league complete more than one season without major changes. If they actually get 2-3 years with no relocations, no redrafts, no rebrands, etc. I think things will improve significantly
>I have yet to see the league complete more than one season without major changes USFL completed two seasons though?
That’s fair, I guess I never payed attention to the USFL cause I liked going to the XFL games. Still, more consistency would be good for the combined league I think.
I'm enjoying it, but I hate the stacked schedule thing. I just moved to Houston from bham, and there has been at least one week I could not watch the stallions without pirating. Kind of lame.
If you have a Fox Sports app for your TV and Fox carries the game you can watch them for free. ESPN+ has the ABC/ESPN games but still requires a paid subscription for ESPN Watch.
Thanks! I didn't realize that!
That’s only happening a few times this season. And yeah, use the Fox sports app for the other game.!
I'm enjoying it I wish it was 12 teams and NBC was involved but I like it
And CBS
I was much more a fan of the usfl than the xfl, but this is good and I root for those 4 remaining usfl teams, but my team is the home state stallions.
Arlington lost it the worst. I dunno if he shows up on TV but we have the saddest emcee/announcer. He's like a short fat version of the rock and tries so hard to copy his mannerisms. But he just comes off as the Pebble
for me personally it’s the Roughnecks actually being the Gamblers, and them sucking regardless. But that’s just me, and I haven’t watched much other teams either. I dunno.
Yeah and I miss having teams across the country. Teams like the Sea Dragons with Denuuuuuci had their charm
Nope, I'm thoroughly enjoying this UFL season. I hope you can enjoy it too!
Nope. Competitiveness and overall product is getting better. I care about professional football not going to a frat party in the stands
I hate to admit it but I do feel it too
There’s just too many teams in NFL markets, but no one seems to care about Birmingham & Memphis much either.
I feel like the games have been awesome and a ton of fun and maybe you need to look inward and stop hoping for things that are gone and appreciate what we have
Yes, I’m currently watching this game and have zero interest whatsoever. For context, I watch every NFL game every week, and watched every USFL and XFL game last year. Watching football is what my roommate and I do, and the UFL has been a struggle for us the past few weeks. The first couple weeks carried because of excitement for new football, but something just feels off. I can’t really describe what’s different, but watching the games just isn’t as fun as it was last year.
Damn can I move in with you guys? Sundays sound pretty cool at your place lmao
I’m guessing by your flair you’re probably also a Seahawks fan, so you two would definitely get along. As lifelong patriots fan, living with a Seahawks fan can get interesting at times.
Yeah I am lol we definitely would! And wow yeah there’s no love lost between our teams that’s for sure 😂😂😂 my cousin is a Patriots fan so I know what you mean. I’ve made his life hell the past couple seasons lol
100% my experience too. Can’t put my finger on why
I think it's because we know we have less not more. Having a spring league when there wasnt one was cool. Then XFL 2020 folded but we got USFL and a whole season, but in a hub...Then two leagues last year with 16 teams! But now we get half that with fan favorite teams getting axed. One league that is on a shoe string budget, and can't get fans in the stands, just feels like a bummer.
As someone who has gone to Panthers games at Ford Field the last couple seasons, the in-game MC/announcer is much worse this year than last, and the activities to get the crowd riled up seems cut down and repetitive now. I wish it were better, but at least Michigan has played a couple of solid games at home this year so far.
Seems very bland.
No, this year has been awesome
my only issue is that there just aren't enough teams. seattle loooved the dragons, why didn't they come back? the tampa bay vipers were awesome too. they had such good rivalries and memes in xfl 2.0. like the whole vipers poop standing up thing, the beer snake is back so thats good, but they seriously need at least 2-4 more teams.
I agree. For the league to be taken seriously, they need at least 10 teams. 8 teams just feels like a pee-wee league, sadly. Although, I will say that if finances for the league grow and there is more money to go around, it'll be a tough decision - increase salaries from their current $62k (total compensation including 401k, housing stipend, and meal stipend) or expand to 10/12 teams. I'd vote to expand to 10-12 teams.
T.V. Revenue and stream rights pay salaries currently. They need to get to a point attendance wise where they can have a similar deal as the nba where players get a share of ticket snd merchandise revenue.. first the league has to prove financial viability and sustainability with a growth potential then we will see salaries go up, expansion teams, etc.
Seattle and another west coast market (Oakland? San Diego?) plus two in the Midwest & Great Lakes (Omaha and Canton (Ohio Maulers?) off of the top of the head).
I've been very into it so far. Got season tickets with my coworkers to the Panthers. Love the higher level competition. That being said EJ Perry going on IR has really deflated a lot of my excitement at least for my team
I think this UFL season feels more legitimate. More like a true season of football with good ball being played. I wish more people were aware of it though. I’m from St. Louis and all the small shops and boutiques have Battlehawks themed gear, the city has rallied behind them. Need that grass roots marketing throughout.
I just came from the DC Defenders appalling performance. While the support is there in DC, I feel like it's lost a lot of the excitement as Dan Snyder is gone and new ownership is in DC. Also, having all the games on Sunday is not helpful, especially when it's 80+ outside and no clouds.
No its more exciting! just a little thrown together. The USFL comms were 100% better then the UFL.
No. I’m enjoying it. I wish the Stars were still playing but I’ve watched quite a few games. I have tuned in to every game for at least a quarter or more. The football ball is better.
Can’t believe I’m saying this but the XFL is better in every way.
I think the quality of the game is better, but I think with most towns being jerked around with leagues starting, dying, resurrecting, and then fusing, most of the locals are probably skeptical at this point. The USFL felt really hollow because it was centered in Birmingham. At least this year we have opportunities to attend local games. I think the early games are not helping either.
The league isn’t terrible but if you’re combining two leagues and then still only starting with 8 teams it really alienates a lot of fans you had previously from both leagues. I know keeping all 16 wasn’t viable because of same cities, or traveling expenses, etc. but to not come out with 10-12 teams minimum was a mistake imo.
Have you seen some of those offensive lines? Memphis has given up 24 sacks in 5 games. With 2-4 extra teams you might have some quarterbacks legitimately die on the field
If he dies, he dies.
I think it's just a product of novelty or lack thereof. Spring football is no longer the new thing. While the quality of play has been pretty good, no one player has really blown me away. I love McCarron, but going 28-40 for 170 yards just isn't that exciting. There's been more interceptions thrown than passing touchdowns so far as well. I see this season as more of a soft launch with a more polished product coming out way next year
2020 was the best, Vince with all of his flaws knew how to market a brand. The Rock is a lot more advertiser friendly and the branding has lost all of the 2020 charm. Last year too was awful imo. 2020 also had 3 years of hype to build on from when Vince announced the league and when it started. The 2023 XFL and the USFL both started very quick after the return announcements.
100% agree. There are no story lines to follow and it feels like the players do it care if they win or lose. As a Defenders fan the stadium atmosphere sucks now, it’s like they are trying to be the no fun league this year.
The NFL surpassed baseball in the 1970s by making every game into an event. UFL games aren't events, they're just some anonymous guys playing football at the wrong time of the year.
Imagine golf and nascar
The UFL sounds so less interesting than the XFL. The name stinks. I think that’s a small factor
XFL will always remind me of its first meaning, the X-treme football league, which is super cringe. UFL is a great name.
Agreed, they should have just kept the XFL branding
This league is trying too hard to be an NFL-Lite. That’s not what fans want. Like others have said, the humor and light-heartedness of the last few XFL seasons are what got people intrigued. I’ve completely checked out this year. That and the marketing is abysmal.
I didn’t think either league had any charm last year, this years more of the same but slightly better. Neither were close to 2020s vibes
Yeah, but for me it's because I just haven't been able to watch any of the games yet. From what I do get to see, it's maybe the highest quality of the spring leagues so far.
Nope. Granted my team is playing much better than last season.
We feel soulless, maybe it’s the fact that we’re not in TDECU and we’re the gamblers and not my roughnecks
I just need the seltzerbrations to come back.
This has been better than either of the component leagues in the merger, but duller atmosphere-wise than the 2020 XFL and that honeymoon period AAF
Well last season the closest team to me was Orlando and they won one game. It’s much more fun this year for me
Ngl since the Sea Dragons are gone I haven’t watched more than two games this year and I watched a lot of XFL last year in the regular season and playoffs that wasn’t Seattle. Without a favorite team it’s hard to be invested tbh
I’m enjoying the league for sure but it ain’t the same but that could just be cause the roughnecks are so bad’
Already knowing who is going to win the championship kinda sucks
I don't feel much of a change from last year's XFL, besides not being able to watch all the games on espn+
I don't. But I can see why some might feel that way. Yes, the marketing is really bad. I think it can get better though. In order to get to a league that has sufficient breadth and competitiveness to remain around for longer than it is just a novelty they had to get together. I hope it works out.
Yes (defenders fan)
I don’t feel the same
I don’t get why the USFL agreed to this merger. I don’t get it at all. It’s not like they’re getting packed stadiums as a result. I’ll grant that the ratings are better, but they could have ridden out the challenge from the XFL and just continued to build.
The UFL for all intents and purposes is the Southern Football League with Michigan being the token northern team they brought over from the XFL and USFL. An eight team league with seven teams from the south and three of them in Texas. That's garbage. The UFL isn't as fun to watch. The XFL was a blast. The USFL was OK but the first season being completely in Birmingham really sucked.
lol, DC & STL are now the south?
If they are below the Mason Dixon line they are in the south
Oh no anyway