The UFL has revealed that it has commenced its inaugural expansion initiative, welcoming proposals from regions interested in introducing spring professional football to their localities.
Founded by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia, RedBird Capital Partners, and Fox, the league commenced operations in 2024 after amalgamating the most recent versions of two other spring football leagues—the USFL (United States Football League) and the XFL.
“These expansion initiatives affirm our vision and early achievements, highlighting the connection spring football has with fans and reinforcing our mission to extend its reach,” stated Russ Brandon, the president and CEO of the league. “With the resilience and framework of our ownership group, along with our media allies, we are well-prepared for the long term and are eager to discover communities that have both the capability and interest to host a UFL team.”
The identities of the previous leagues continue as two UFL conferences, featuring the Birmingham Stallions, Michigan Panthers, Houston Roughnecks, and Memphis Showboats in the USFL Conference, and the Arlington Renegades, San Antonio Brahmas, St. Louis Battlehawks, and D.C. Defenders in the XFL Conference.
In a recent phone interview, Brandon refrained from disclosing which cities are under consideration for expansion or details regarding expansion fees. “We want to maintain the integrity of the process; that involves keeping an open mind and ensuring good communication with our potential markets to see where this leads us,” Brandon commented.
The Battlehawks have notably cultivated a robust fan base in their city across both the XFL and now the UFL. “St. Louis has clearly been a model franchise, and we’ve received tremendous support there from the legacy XFL into the UFL, which we’ve observed across many of our markets,” remarked Brandon. “We will be patient and highly disciplined throughout the process, and we will continue to analyze all the metrics that we’ve established.”
The league’s second season is set to begin on March 28, featuring a 10-week regular season followed by the conference championship round and culminating with the UFL championship game in June 2025. Birmingham claimed the inaugural championship last spring.
Image Source: theufl.com
