The UFL has announced the launch of its first expansion initiative, inviting proposals from areas interested in establishing spring professional football in their communities.
Founded by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia, RedBird Capital Partners, and Fox, the league started operations in 2024 following the consolidation of the latest versions of two spring football leagues—the USFL (United States Football League) and the XFL.
“These expansion efforts affirm our vision and early successes, emphasizing the connection spring football has with its fans and supporting our goal to broaden its reach,” remarked Russ Brandon, the league’s president and CEO. “With the resilience and structure provided by our ownership group and our media partners, we are prepared for the long haul and excited to identify communities that possess the capability and desire to host a UFL team.”
The identities of the former leagues will persist as two UFL conferences, comprising the Birmingham Stallions, Michigan Panthers, Houston Roughnecks, and Memphis Showboats in the USFL Conference, alongside the Arlington Renegades, San Antonio Brahmas, St. Louis Battlehawks, and D.C. Defenders in the XFL Conference.
In a recent phone interview, Brandon did not disclose which cities are being evaluated for expansion or specifics about expansion fees. “We aim to preserve the integrity of the process; this entails keeping an open mind and fostering effective communication with our potential markets to see where this leads us,” Brandon stated.
The Battlehawks have successfully developed a strong fan base in their city throughout both the XFL era and now the UFL. “St. Louis has undoubtedly been a model franchise, and we’ve received incredible support there transitioning from the legacy XFL to the UFL, which we’ve seen across many of our markets,” Brandon noted. “We will be patient and meticulous throughout this process, continually analyzing all the metrics we have in place.”
The league’s second season is scheduled to kick off on March 28, featuring a 10-week regular season, followed by the conference championship rounds and ending with the UFL championship game in June 2025. Birmingham secured the inaugural championship last spring.
Image Source: theufl.com
