UFL - OKC

[Greg S]

The UFL is adding a franchise to OKC:

https://www.news9.com/sports/united-foo ... -expansion

[nebugeater]

Now, Yates needs to go get the second one for 2028 for Gretna. Plenty of time to build!

[Padre]

Now, Yates needs to go get the second one for 2028 for Gretna. Plenty of time to build!

Buc-ee’s Stadium.

[Big E]

Interestingly enough, they'll play in a multipurpose venue:

"The state-of-the-art venue will initially seat just over 10,000 fans and will feature premium amenities, modern fan experiences, and the flexibility to host a variety of events, including professional soccer, concerts, rodeos and other sporting and cultural events."

Still absolutely blows my mind the NCAA |expletive| this up so bad for Omaha and the CWS-only stadium. Especially now that the 25 yr deal for the CWS might outlive the relevancy of - or even straght up outlive - the NCAA itself.

[riceweb]

Still absolutely blows my mind the NCAA |expletive| this up so bad for Omaha and the CWS-only stadium

It's not CWS-only, but it is baseball-only. Baseball stadiums have a weird shape and aren't great for multiple sports.

Soccer and football can (albeit only barely) coexist. So the UFL could coexist with Union Omaha downtown.

But to be clear, it's not a failing that we might have 3 different arenas downtown.

[Padre]

But to be clear, it's not a failing that we might have 3 different arenas downtown.

It would be if any two of them are sitting empty for 340 days a year!

[Omaha2032]

But to be clear, it's not a failing that we might have 3 different arenas downtown.

It would be if any two of them are sitting empty for 340 days a year!

Just out of curiosity what downtown venue sits empty 340 days a year? CHI is constantly used and Charles Schwab has about 68 events over 5 months? Hardly seems like any are empty for 340 days. Maybe do some research.

[Padre]

But to be clear, it's not a failing that we might have 3 different arenas downtown.

It would be if any two of them are sitting empty for 340 days a year!

Just out of curiosity what downtown venue sits empty 340 days a year? CHI is constantly used and Charles Schwab has about 68 events over 5 months? Hardly seems like any are empty for 340 days. Maybe do some research.

Quite frankly I selected the number out of my head. The point was that you don’t want to build three new stadiums, unless you can really fill them on a regular basis.

[nebugeater]

But to be clear, it's not a failing that we might have 3 different arenas downtown.

It would be if any two of them are sitting empty for 340 days a year!

Just out of curiosity what downtown venue sits empty 340 days a year? CHI is constantly used and Charles Schwab has about 68 events over 5 months? Hardly seems like any are empty for 340 days. Maybe do some research.

While you are correct that CSF has that number of events, let's not overlook that the majority of those outside of the two-week CWS are Creighton baseball. Those average a little more than 2000 each. No to throw shade at the Jays, there are a lot of College programs with lower numbers, but let's not chalk that up as a huge success for use of the ballpark

[ryan311]

But to be clear, it's not a failing that we might have 3 different arenas downtown.

It would be if any two of them are sitting empty for 340 days a year!

Just out of curiosity what downtown venue sits empty 340 days a year? CHI is constantly used and Charles Schwab has about 68 events over 5 months? Hardly seems like any are empty for 340 days. Maybe do some research.

While you are correct that CSF has that number of events, let's not overlook that the majority of those outside of the two-week CWS are Creighton baseball. Those average a little more than 2000 each. No to throw shade at the Jays, there are a lot of College programs with lower numbers, but let's not chalk that up as a huge success for use of the ballpark

Out of curiosity, how many days of the year was Rosenblatt used? My guess is about the same as CSF and attendance of the Royals/Golden Spikes wasn’t great either.

[S.O.Boy]

Still absolutely blows my mind the NCAA |expletive| this up so bad for Omaha and the CWS-only stadium

It's not CWS-only, but it is baseball-only. Baseball stadiums have a weird shape and aren't great for multiple sports.

Soccer and football can (albeit only barely) coexist. So the UFL could coexist with Union Omaha downtown.

Of the 8 UFL stadiums, it looks like 5 are soccer and 3 are multi-use

[riceweb]

Right, they really like soccer stadiums, and in the case of St Louis, they're filling the void left behind by the NFL.

The soccer stadiums make a ton of sense for everyone: the cities that build these venues that want more dates on the calendar, the soccer teams that presumably get some money for the inconvenience of sharing with a football team, and the surrounding businesses that benefit from more events in the area.

Of course, attendance has been atrocious for the UFL this season, but I think there's still potential here, especially for teams that bring in top names from local college teams that weren't quite capable of making the jump to the NFL.

[Greg S]

Right, they really like soccer stadiums, and in the case of St Louis, they're filling the void left behind by the NFL.

The soccer stadiums make a ton of sense for everyone: the cities that build these venues that want more dates on the calendar, the soccer teams that presumably get some money for the inconvenience of sharing with a football team, and the surrounding businesses that benefit from more events in the area.

Of course, attendance has been atrocious for the UFL this season, but I think there's still potential here, especially for teams that bring in top names from local college teams that weren't quite capable of making the jump to the NFL.

Plus the soccer team owners want to host these in their stadiums for the additional revenue. Sporting KC has been doing this for years with various football teams and events.

[OmahaRedWing]

I know KU played there while their stadium was being rebuilt. Went to a game. Worked well.

NW Missouri State has also played at Sporting Park.

[nebugeater]

UFL announced yesterday that they are leaving the Birmingham and Houston markets. Still have plans to grow to new markets and get to 10 teams by 2028 and 12 by 2030

Oklahoma City is the only location named in that plan.

https://www.theufl.com/news/ufl-announc ... o8B53ZVN3g

ARLINGTON, TX (July 30, 2026) – The United Football League today announced the difficult decision to depart Birmingham and Houston as part of its strategic market realignment and long-term growth strategy. Two new replacement markets will be added for 2027, and the league plans to expand to 10 teams by 2028, including the addition of Oklahoma City. The UFL has been actively evaluating markets across the country interested in bringing professional spring football to their city. The UFL has targeted a 12-team league by 2030, but with strong interest from prospective markets and league momentum that timeline may be accelerated to 2029.

“Departing a market is never easy and this decision is not a reflection of the dedication shown by players, coaches, fans, local partners, or civic leaders in Birmingham or Houston. We are grateful for their passion, commitment, and support, which have helped shape the continued evolution of the UFL,” said UFL Co-Owner Mike Repole. “My mission is to build a league that is not only sustainable today, but also successful and thriving for decades to come. Building a spring football league has required discipline and difficult decisions, which have been guided by our clear long-term vision. Every market evaluation begins with the same three principles I have said since day one - the right market, the right sized venue, and a passionate fan base.”

Repole shared, "With Birmingham, this decision was 100% due to the wrong sized venue. I appreciate the passion of the fans and respect the history of the Birmingham Stallions. It was clearly my decision that with the wrong sized venue spring football could not succeed in Birmingham. Even on opening day, when 16,000 Stallions fans showed up, the energy, passion, and game atmosphere was not felt due to the size of the venue. We've been transparent with local mayors and city leadership that we'd love to return as soon as the right stadium solution becomes available, and we are willing to participate in accelerating those efforts."

Repole continued, “Houston played an important role in reestablishing modern spring football, and we’re grateful to the fans, partners, and community who supported the Roughnecks and Gamblers. Houston is a great sports city, and Shell Energy Stadium has been an outstanding partner and venue. The reality is that we did not give this market the consistency it deserved. Between venue changes, team-name changes, and different approaches, we made it difficult to build lasting momentum.”

Under new co-owner Mike Repole’s leadership, the UFL entered 2026 with a clear vision to reimagine spring football through new markets and venues, innovative rules, enhanced fan experiences, marquee entertainment, and investment in new coaches, community engagement, and player development. The result was a successful season highlighted by improved metrics across key business areas and a growing interest from cities to bring a new UFL team to their market. League leadership has engaged with numerous cities, venue operators, business leaders, and public officials across the country to evaluate opportunities that align with the league's vision.

[Erik]

Do we really have to deal with this |expletive| again? It was fun the first time, but im done with these failures

[riceweb]

Do we really have to deal with this |expletive| again? It was fun the first time, but im done with these failures

Why? It's a minor league, they spin up and tear down in a few years, at best. Just enjoy it while it's around, if it ever comes back at all. I still enjoyed my times at the Nighthawks games years ago. I'm not mad that they tried and failed.

[Padre]

Do we really have to deal with this |expletive| again? It was fun the first time, but im done with these failures

Why? It's a minor league, they spin up and tear down in a few years, at best. Just enjoy it while it's around, if it ever comes back at all. I still enjoyed my times at the Nighthawks games years ago. I'm not mad that they tried and failed.

If they tried again in Omaha, they’d be more likely to play at the stadium they are building for Union Omaha, than to play at Charles Schwab Field.

[riceweb]

I think so, too. It works out a lot better economically if these soccer venues are able to share with a UFL team.

[Greg S]

Do we really have to deal with this |expletive| again? It was fun the first time, but im done with these failures

What was there to "deal" with?

[SkyWarrior55]

[thenewguy]

effin do it. I guarantee you we show up and show out.

[Louie]

|expletive| it. Whats the worst that could happen.

[Erik]

Do we really have to deal with this |expletive| again? It was fun the first time, but im done with these failures

What was there to "deal" with?

A league that will fail.

[thenewguy]

i know that the railroad theme may be played out, but call them the iron horses, maybe a logo along these lines



score a touchdown, play a train horn...i dunno, could be pretty cool

[Erik]

i know that the railroad theme may be played out, but call them the iron horses, maybe a logo along these lines



score a touchdown, play a train horn...i dunno, could be pretty cool

That is a very cool idea