Venues Now recently talked with Carl Adkins. He is the director of operations for the USFL. For 20 years, he was the general manager of the old Georgia Dome.
Adkins was brought in 32 days before the kick-off of the 2022 USFL season. His role as a consultant quickly turned into a full-time job.
He had a couple of interesting things to say about if there would be a year two for the USFL.
“From what Adkins has heard, the USFL has committed to a second season in 2023. There has been no official announcement about next year and no decisions have been made on whether all eight teams will play again in one city or split equally among two markets, as well as the possibility of selling individual franchises. Those decisions will be made over the next several weeks, he said.”
If the USFL wants to expand its operation slightly, adding a second location could help optics. Birmingham loves their Stallions, but there is a home game every weekend. The biggest complaint from the casual fans is watching the game with no fans in the stands.
Football fans of the NFL and college expect big crowds and don’t know or care what the USFL’s long-term business strategy is. Adding a second location for year two would show fans the league is for real and growing.
Just because the team’s city is Pittsburgh, for example, doesn’t mean fans in the city care yet. They need to play in those cities for the fans to start paying attention.
It seems like for a team to move to a home location, they need an owner, and the league won’t make a move to a full-time home location without one.
Adkins talks about some of the attendance numbers for games at Protective Stadium.
“The Birmingham Stallions, the USFL’s designated “home team,” have drawn decent crowds of 10,000 to 15,000. Otherwise, attendance has been sparse for the seven other teams with 1,500 to 2,000 in the stands, Adkins said.”
Adkins says that Fox Sports is more focused on broadcast content than attendance. Hence the $10 tickets, and kids get in for free.
The article discusses the upcoming Garth Brooks concert and World Games, causing the league to move games to Legion Field. They also talk about the USFL playing its Playoffs and Championship games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
Jon Michael
May 19, 2022 at 6:23 pm
I think a Northern Hub & Southern hub would work well. I would have the Northern hub at Ford Field as it would be home of the Michigan Panthers and would be a home team for the league while they cut costs and upstart the league. Also, Ford Field is climate controlled, no weather issues.
North – Ford Field, Detroit, MI:
Michigan Panthers
Pittsburgh Maulers
Philadelphia Stars
New Jersey Generals
South – Protective Stadium – Birmingham, AL:
Birmingham Stallions
Houston Gamblers
New Orleans Breakers
Tampa Bay Bandits
Week 1 – North hub (Detroit), South hub (Birmingham)
Week 2 – North vs. South
Week 3 – North hub (Detroit), South hub (Birmingham)
Week 4 – North hub (Detroit), South hub (Birmingham)
Week 5 – North vs. South
Week 6 – North vs. South
Week 7 – North hub (Detroit), South hub (Birmingham)
Week 8 – North hub (Detroit), South hub (Birmingham)
Week 9 – North vs. South
Week 10 – North hub (Detroit), South hub (Birmingham)
Semi-Finals: Canton, OH
Championship: Canton, OH
Philip Pappas
June 4, 2022 at 4:04 pm
2 hub league? They need 8 home venues to survive. Even the top 7-0 team playing in Birmingham cannot draw more than approx 1200 fans? League needs a drastic change of thought to survive. Where is income going to come from without attendance gate; related promotions,and advertising. Only FOX TV?
Leon Boyd
May 20, 2022 at 7:06 pm
With the added pressure of the XFL will the USFL expand to bigger markets or at least have preseason games in the teams city for a trail?
Dan Dolloh
May 20, 2022 at 11:47 pm
The XFL and USFL should play each other and stop crying about wearing the same dress at the party.
JtheCirone
April 16, 2023 at 1:57 pm
That’s actually a great idea.
Maybe merge both league’s into one and maybe it would take off more and have more funding.
I’m watching mich-Hou and was disappointed again to see no fans.
I love football to death (don’t do college though🤷🏻‍♂️) and was glad to have some during NFL off-season,no fans doesn’t kill it for me but would be much better with.
Jason Hornlein
May 21, 2022 at 8:53 am
It’s pretty obvious that birmingham’s team is going to draw more of a crowd because it’s played in Alabama I mean how more obvious can it be, can we actually sit down and say hey these other teams aren’t getting as much fan base because we have limited it to one state.. duh it also gives the stallions an advantage in playing a home and away game cuz they really don’t have to go far lol.. the only way these teams will reach their proper fan base potential is if they relocate to their own States where their fans can actually attend their games I mean come on people..
DC
May 21, 2022 at 8:58 pm
The USFL needs to come up with some lucrative game packages that include transportation and hotel stay for fans of the various out of town teams to travel to Birmingham to attend, especially market when any of those teams are the home team.
Honest John
June 4, 2022 at 11:14 pm
Playing in hubs in 2023 is ridiculous! They need to either sell the teams and/or move them to their home markets! The Pittsburgh Maulers were not one of the strongest teams in the old USFL and they do not have a place to play. All of these teams need to play in MLS stadiums and do some decent local marketing! Just because the NFL does not spend a lot on local marketing does not mean the USFL does not have to. They need to spend $10 million per team on marketing alone in home cities!!
Brandon
June 9, 2022 at 6:28 pm
Baby steps are good. Two hubs would be good small step. Each team playing in their own cities would be a huge step. I would love to see a playoff game featuring the USFL champion against the XFL champion… I would look forward to that more than the SuperBowl. It would mean a lot for both leagues.
USFL Fan
June 12, 2022 at 8:05 pm
People should not be worried about XFL and USFL competing. They’re going to play at different times. XFL Feb-April, USFL April-June. It’s fine.
I do agree USFL needs to look to home markets asap. The problem is for a team like Pittsburgh, there are no college stadiums in Pittsburgh that make sense. Robert Morris and Duquense have tiny stadiums, for instance.
Fred Rogers
June 14, 2022 at 8:45 pm
Highmark is a perfect venue in Pittsburgh……..
Right on the riverfront with 5000 seats. Perfect!
mr dave
June 18, 2022 at 9:22 am
I have enjoyed watching the USFL games BUT no crowds is a huge misstep. They need to play in different cites. There are great college stadiums all over the country with dedicated fans. They should concentrate on states WITHOUT NFL teams. Like Mississippi, Arkansas, Virginia, Oregon, ect. Plus tehy really need to put all games on broadcast TV NBC, FOX, ect. and their should always be a sunday 1pm game and they need a pregame (recap from last week, player high light show) They have made the games 3hrs which was a good step. Fox needs to promote the league more and remember its a Summer/development league not the NFL.
Gregg
June 18, 2022 at 7:49 pm
You sound like the President of Football Insight