UFL to expand faster than you think?

[Rmbay]

On the Come Get Some Podcast, DC DC (see what I did there?) Gregg Williams stated that with the success of this season the league was looking to go from 8 teams this year to 12 next year to 16 in 2026.  He didn't particularly define what the "success" was, especially since the season hasn't even begun yet, but from his comments it appears they may be having success getting owners and selling the franchises and want to now move on to other cities:

Gregg Williams talks Expansion
 

[GregParks]

I'll believe it when I see it. 

[4th&long]

On the Come Get Some Podcast, DC DC (see what I did there?) Gregg Williams stated that with the success of this season the league was looking to go from 8 teams this year to 12 next year to 16 in 2026.  He didn't particularly define what the "success" was, especially since the season hasn't even begun yet, but from his comments it appears they may be having success getting owners and selling the franchises and want to now move on to other cities:

Gregg Williams talks Expansion


 

Cool thanks for sharing that!

I'll echo Greg P and say I'll believe it when I see it... BUT having said that, there was NO WAY they could attract investors into the XFL or USFL while the other league was still standing.  Beside costs and the obvious spitting of spring FB viewing etc... this was likely a huge driver in the merger and why I called it early on when others po-po'd it.  No investor is going to bet 2x not only on a upstart league, but w/o knowing if the league they choose would even survive ... it wasn't going to happen. 

Clearly someone put those thoughts in Greg's ear.  Leaking it out does help build confidence without having to "own it".

Now in late 2023/2024, not only is there only one league to invest in but its being backed by big investors including a network and a eye catching celeb.   If the league has a successful (however they or biz world views that) season... you could see investors get in relatively cheap and that could lead to expansion in 2025/2026.

Also, and I've brought this up across many threads... they are only in 11.3% of Nielsen rated HouseHolds with the current 8 teams.  The XFL 2020 was in 22% for example.  For a league looking for TV ratings... gotta be in NY or at least more top 10 or 15 markets for TV ratings.

[MGB01]

I'll believe it when I see it. 

 

 

Well it was mentioned yesterday in some circles IRT NFL Network broadcasting a schedule of Arena League games why they wouldn't do the UFL, well other than the fact that FOX and ESPN have all 43 of them this might be more a reference to expansion.

Certainly with the regional/backup game blocks which look like a test run, and you have ready-made sites in Seattle, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and NJ--though all four have hurdles that need to be cleared, something's on the horizon.

[Rmbay]

I'll believe it when I see it. 

Yeah I don't disagree.  Seems like there's still a lot of ground to cover. 

[Rmbay]

I'll believe it when I see it. 

 

Well it was mentioned yesterday in some circles IRT NFL Network broadcasting a schedule of Arena League games why they wouldn't do the UFL, well other than the fact that FOX and ESPN have all 43 of them this might be more a reference to expansion.

Certainly with the regional/backup game blocks which look like a test run, and you have ready-made sites in Seattle, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and NJ--though all four have hurdles that need to be cleared, something's on the horizon.

If they do expand they definitely go where the interest and money is that fits a market.   I think NY/NJ would be a shoo-in if they can get a stadium situation to their liking.   Besides being the largest TV market I would suspect there are already potential owners that want in on that area.   The west coast is obviously a destination if the interest is there.   Suspect Florida may be also.   New Orleans is interesting to me because it's rumored there is some interest there, but how necessary is it to have another team in that area?   Seems more like a better option if and when they would go to 16 teams.   

[Coffeeeyes]

Probably just bring back the defunct franchises honestly, aside from probably Vegas and maybe Tampa Bay.

[GregParks]

Probably just bring back the defunct franchises honestly, aside from probably Vegas and maybe Tampa Bay.

That would be the easy thing to do but there has to be real hesitation in those markets to embrace a second (or third) go-round for some of these teams. We saw the attendance drop-off in markets like Seattle (granted, they had weather and scheduling issues) and to a lesser extent Houston from 2020 to 2023. They’d have to have some solid intel in those places that fans don’t feel burned to go back in there again so quickly.

[4th&long]

Probably just bring back the defunct franchises honestly, aside from probably Vegas and maybe Tampa Bay.

If they do expand they definitely go where the interest and money is that fits a market.   I think NY/NJ would be a shoo-in if they can get a stadium situation to their liking.   Besides being the largest TV market I would suspect there are already potential owners that want in on that area.   The west coast is obviously a destination if the interest is there.   Suspect Florida may be also.   New Orleans is interesting to me because it's rumored there is some interest there, but how necessary is it to have another team in that area?   Seems more like a better option if and when they would go to 16 teams.   

I have to agree with Rmbay here.  They will go where investors want or where they think they can lull an investor in.  Hopefully if so and its a market that the XFL/USFL has been in they use the existing IP.  I also  agree  and see NY and Florida as high on the list.

[super390]

If they were talking about bringing in actual team owners instead of "investors", it wouldn't take much for the big egos of the multimillionaires to talk them in.  Owners are often willing to treat minor league teams as an expensive hobby.  Investors can't be like that.

And the staggering increase in the value of sports franchises has removed an entire order of magnitude of personal fortunes from major league ownership.  Hell, MLS teams got really expensive after 20 years in business, but then women's soccer teams exploded in value just in the last 2 years.  There's a lot of really rich guys who are now out of the running for franchises in desirable leagues.  Some of them want hobbies too.