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The United Football League (UFL) is a professional American Football league, which will begin its inaugural season on October 8, 2009 with the Las Vegas Locomotives playing against the California Redwoods.[6]
The league primarily consists of players that are talented enough to play in the National Football League but are currently not signed to NFL rosters. While the league has no official connection with the NFL, and does not intend to have such a relationship in the near future,[7] some have speculated that it could become a minor or "developmental" league for the NFL,[8][9] Early plans for the league described it as more of a "competitor" to the NFL,[10] though they have backed off this characterization in recent months.
Las Vegas Locomotives
Las Vegas Metropolitan Area
Background. Las Vegas, the most populous city in the state of Nevada and the 30th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with over 1.8 million residents, is expected to be the country’s fastest growing city from over the next dozen years. With 37 million visitors last year, Las Vegas continues to be one of America’s most visited cities. Entertainment and tourism are the city’s main economic industries. The city's four mile Las Vegas Strip is famous for its casinos, hotels, shopping, conventions, fine dining and adult entertainment and continues to attract tourists worldwide. Las Vegas is also home to 19 of the 25 largest hotels in the world and six Fortune 500 companies.
Las Vegas does not have a major professional sports team, although the city's metropolitan population is as large or larger than current cities with professional sports teams including Buffalo, San Antonio, Pittsburgh, Portland, Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Green Bay. The city is home to world championship boxing, extreme fighting (MMA), the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV), a AAA minor league baseball team -- Las Vegas 51s and various other sports properties. The city has been host to several other professional events including the 2007 NBA All-Star Game to Las Vegas, marking the first all-star game to be played in a non-NBA city. Las Vegas also hosted the Arena Football League’s championship game (ArenaBowls XIX and XX) in 2005-06 and continues to host several NASCAR events (Sprints Cup Series, Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Football History. Professional football in Las Vegas began during the 1968 and 1969 seasons as the Las Vegas Cowboys played in the Continental Football League. Although the Cowboys were competitive and drew crowds, the league disbanded after the 1969 season. In 1994, Las Vegas hosted a Canadian Football League (CFL) team for one season as the CFL experimented with expansion in the U.S. Attempting to play summer football in the Nevada desert heat was but one of the many missteps by the CFL team’s ownership group. The team averaged 9,000 fans per game and disbanded after one year. More recently, Las Vegas was home to the Las Vegas Outlaws during the XFL’s single season in 2001. The Outlaws averaged over 22,600 fans per game, despite finishing in last place in the Western Division. UNLV football has averaged almost 20,000 fans per game over the past 10 years.
Las Vegas was home to two Arena Football League teams: the Sting in 1994 and 1995, and the Gladiators from 2003-2007. The Gladiators averaged 10,000 fans per game over the last four years, with no playoff appearances, while the Sting averaged 5,700 fans per game over their two seasons.
Since 1992, the city has hosted the annual Las Vegas Bowl and has attracted an average of 42,000 fans.
Facilities and Stadiums. There are several facilities in the Las Vegas metropolitan area which could host a UFL team. Sam Boyd Stadium is the home of UNLV football, the Las Vegas Bowl game and was the home of the XFL’s Outlaws. The stadium seats 40,000 and can accommodate a few thousand more with temporary seating in the north end zone. There has also been a significant amount of talk about the possibility of a new football facility, most notably Dreamscape Development’s recent proposal for a 75,000 seat stadium to be built south of the Las Vegas Strip.
New York Sentinels
New York City Metropolitan Area
Background. New York City is the largest and most visited city in the U.S. and the fourth largest metropolitan area in the world with over 19.7 million residents and 40 million annual visitors. New York City is a major center for finance, insurance, real estate, media and the arts. The metropolitan area had an estimated gross metropolitan product of $952.6 billion in 2005; the largest regional economy in the country. New York City is comprised of five boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. With over 8.2 million residents within an area of 322 square miles, New York City is the most densely populated major city in the country. The New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ are the world's first and second largest stock exchanges, respectively, when measured by average daily trading volume and overall market capitalization. New York City is also home to 45 Fortune 500 companies and one out of ten private sector jobs in New York City are from foreign corporations.
In the sports arena, the New York City metro area is the only city in the U.S. with more than one team in each of the four major professional sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL).
Football History. New York City has a long history of strong support for its professional football teams. The New York Giants are one of the NFL’s most storied franchises and have a waiting list of potential season ticket purchasers that they do not anticipate being able to supply for well over 20 years. The New York Jets have a similar list. It is also important to note that both New York City NFL teams currently play in the same stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (the Meadowlands), which is only somewhat near certain parts of New York City (Manhattan, Staten Island, the Bronx) and considered quite far from Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island. Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island alone have a total population of close to 8 million and would find a UFL team based in New York City much more accessible than the current NFL teams that play in New Jersey.
Focusing on outdoor professional football leagues other than the NFL, the United States Football League's (USFL) New Jersey Generals (who played in the spring in the mid-1980’s in Giants Stadium) was one of the USFL's top drawing teams averaging 38,000 fans per game over three years (1983-85). New York City's XFL team also had good attendance. The New York/New Jersey Hitmen were the league’s second-best drawing team during the spring of 2001, the XFL’s single season of existence, averaging more than 28,000 fans per game at Giants Stadium.
The city also has been home to multiple Arena Football League teams: the New York Knights (1988), New York CityHawks (1997-98), New Jersey Red Dogs/Gladiators (1997-02), and the New York Dragons (since 2001). The Knights and CityHawks both fared poorly in attendance, local marketing, and on-field performance. This may have been caused by poor mismanagement of both teams. However, since the Dragons inception in 2001, the team has averaged between 9,000 and 12,000 fans over the past six years at Long Island’s Nassau County Coliseum. The nearby New Jersey Red Dogs/Gladiators played in the Continental Airlines Arena and achieved reasonable attendance figures over their six years of existence. If not for the sudden move by owner Jim Ferraro to Las Vegas during the start of the 2003 season, some supporters of the team believe the franchise would still be in existence today.
Facilities and Stadiums. There are several facilities in the New York City metropolitan area which could host a UFL team. The most appealing venue may be the Mets’ new baseball stadium Citi Field in Willets Point in the New York City borough of Queens, which will seat 45,000 in spring 2009. Historically, New York City baseball stadiums have been great venues for professional football. The Mets’ Shea Stadium was home to the American Football League, then National Football League, Jets from 1964-83 and the NFL Giants in 1975. Yankee Stadium was home to the Giants from 1956-73. The new Yankee Stadium, set to open spring 2009 with seating for 53,000, would also be ideal for a UFL team.
Another possible UFL venue is Laurence Wein Stadium at Columbia University in Manhattan. The stadium currently seats 16,500 with the possibility for expansion. Placing a UFL team in Wein stadium would make the UFL team the first major professional football team to play in Manhattan since 1964 when the New York Giants and Jets left the New York Polo Grounds for their current home in East Rutherford at Giant's Stadium.
Hofstra University’s James M. Shuart Stadium, which opened in 1962 on Long Island, currently seats 15,000 but could also be expanded. Shuart Stadium has served as the site for the NCAA Championships, Nassau County and New York City State High School Championships in football and lacrosse, world championships in men's and women's lacrosse, professional soccer, commencement exercises and cultural events. Within the past decade, Shuart Stadium has received a new artificial turf playing surface, several sections of new chair-back seating, a new sound system and a $3.8 million Field House in the south end zone. Shuart Stadium also served as a home for the Long Island Rough Riders of professional soccer's A-League.
Other possible UFL venues include Rutgers Stadium (40 miles south of New York City) with a seating capacity of 41,500; and Princeton Stadium (50 miles south of New York City) which seats nearly 28,000.
Florida Tuskers
Orlando Metropolitan Area
Background. Orlando is the third largest metropolitan region in Florida and the 27th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with over 2.0 million residents. Long one of the country’s fastest growing cities and, with over 50 million guests annually, Orlando is one of Florida's most visited cities. Thanks to Walt Disney World Resort, Sea World Adventure Parks and Universal Studios Resort, Orlando will always be best known for its ties to the travel and tourism industry. Orlando is also home to several large corporations including Fortune 500 companies Hughes Supply and Darden Restaurants and Fortune 1000 company Airtran. In the sports arena, Orlando has been home to the NBA’s Magic for nearly 20 years. The Magic, however, is the city’s only major professional sports team making Orlando the third-largest metropolitan area in the country to have only one major sports team.
Football History. Florida is generally regarded as a hotbed for college and professional football. The universities of Miami, Florida and Florida State often rank in the top twenty nationally,. Three of the NFL's 32 teams are in Florida -- the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. High school football is also very popular in Florida, a fact supported by the extraordinary number of top college and professional players that hail from the state. Interest in professional football among fans is also exceptional, evidenced by the amazing 50.4 Nielsen rating that the 2007 Super Bowl generated in Orlando. Orlando's Nielsen rating was the second highest nationally, and received a higher rating than Chicago, whose local team actually played in the game!
Given its attractive weather, impressive facilities and Floridians’ love for football, it is not surprising that Orlando has hosted franchises in a number of alternative football leagues. The city’s most recent franchise was the XFL’s Orlando Rage, which drew nearly 30,000 fans per game to the Citrus Bowl in 2001, ranking the team third league-wide in attendance. Orlando was also home to the NFL’s World League of American Football (WLAF) and the United States Football League (USFL), after the Washington Federals were sold and relocated as the Orlando Renegades. Playing at the Citrus Bowl, the Thunder (WLAF – 1991 and 1992) and the Renegades (USFL - 1985) averaged 18,000 and 24,000 fans, respectively. During the mid-1970s, the city also played home to the Florida Blazers, one of twelve teams in the short-lived World Football League (WFL). The Blazers averaged 15,000 fans per game in their only year of existence. In addition, the Orlando Panthers played in the minor-league Continental Football League in the late 1960s. The Panthers won two CPFL titles in 1967 and 1968, but folded with the league after the 1969 season.
Orlando is also home to the Arena Football League’s longest-standing (and one of its most successful) franchise. The Orlando Predators have played since 1991, averaging 13,500 fans per game over their 17 year existence.
Facilities and Stadiums. There are several facilities in the Orlando metropolitan area which could host a UFL team. Beginning in the fall of 2007, Orlando will have two world class football stadiums. The Florida Citrus Bowl, a municipally-owned facility that seats over 70,000, is home to two college bowl games - the Capital One Bowl (formerly Citrus Bowl) and the Champs Sports Bowl – as well as the annual Florida Classic between Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman. The stadium was also home to the University of Central Florida (UCF) football team from 1979 through 2006, the home of the USFL Orlando Renegades and the WLAF Orlando Thunder, and has hosted numerous concerts, World Cup soccer games and other events. On September 29, 2006, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced an agreement on a $175-million expansion of the Citrus Bowl. This expansion is part of the "Triple Crown for Downtown", a $1.1-billion plan to redo the Orlando Centroplex with a new $480-million arena for the Orlando Magic, a new $375-million performing arts center and the Citrus Bowl improvements.
Bright House Networks Stadium opened in September 2007 as the new home of UCF football. It will be on the school’s campus, will seat 45,323 fans and will have 24 luxury suites and 822 club seats. The stadium's west side features the four-level Roth Tower, which includes 24 luxury suites and houses a 4,200 square-foot Club Lounge with seating for 822. The Roth Tower includes a spacious press box, broadcast and administrative suites.
California Redwoods
San Francisco Metropolitan Area
Background. San Francisco is the fourth largest city in California with over 764,000 residents and the 12th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. San Francisco is part of the Bay area (approximately 7.2 million people) and in 2006; 15.8 million people visited the city and injected $7.8 billion into the local economy. The city is a cultural mecca in terms of arts, music, festivals, and museums. The metropolitan area is the sixth-largest TV market and the fourth largest radio market in the U.S. The city is also home to several Fortune 500 companies and large corporations such as Levi Strauss, Palm, URS, Williams-Sonoma, Wells Fargo, PG&E Corp. and Charles Schwab.
In the sports arena, the San Francisco metro area has been home to the MLB's Giants (since 1958), the NBA's San Francisco Warriors (1962-1971), the Major League Lacrosse’s (MLL) San Francisco Dragons (since 2006) and the NFL's San Francisco 49ers (since 1946). The surrounding San Francisco Bay area is home to the NHL's San Jose Sharks (since 1991), the National Lacrosse League’s (NLL) San Jose Stealth (since 2004) and the Arena Football League’s San Jose SaberCats (since 1995). The area also hosts the MLS's San Jose Earthquakes (since 2008), the California League's San Jose Giants (since 1988), the NBA’s Golden State Warriors (since 1971), the MLB's Oakland Athletics (since 1968) and the NFL’s Oakland Raiders (since 1960 and returned in 1995).
The San Francisco Bay Area is also well-represented in college sports. Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley, Santa Clara University, San Jose State University, San Francisco State University and the University of San Francisco all compete in NCAA division competitions.
Football History. The city of San Francisco and the surrounding Bay area has supported its professional football teams. The San Francisco 49ers is one of the NFL’s most storied franchises and has won five Super Bowl titles, including four during the 1980s. Since its inception in 1946, the 49ers have called the city home for over 60 years and continually sell-out games at Monster Park.
The Oakland Raiders have won three Super Bowl titles and one American Football League Championship title. The team has a rampant fan base and currently averages near sell-out games at McAfee Stadium.
Focusing on outdoor professional football leagues other than the NFL, the Oakland Invaders of the United States Football League, drew nearly 24,000 fans per game over three years (1983-85) at McAfee Coliseum. Even the San Francisco XFL team drew well, as the Demons were the league’s highest drawing team during the spring of 2001, averaging more than 35,000 fans per game at AT&T Park despite a (5-5) record.
Facilities and Stadiums. There are several facilities in the San Francisco metropolitan area which could host a UFL team. The most appealing venue may be the Giants’ baseball stadium AT&T Park in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, which seats 41,530. Since 2002, the city has annually hosted the Emerald Bowl which features a match-up of college football teams from the ACC and Pac-10 conferences. In recent years, the bowl game has attracted an average of 32,500 fans. Historically, San Francisco Bay area baseball stadiums have been great venues for professional football. The 49ers have played at Monster Park (previously Candlestick Park) since 1971 and the Raiders’ have played at McAfee Coliseum (previously Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum) from 1966-81 and again since 1995.
Another possible UFL venue is Stanford Stadium at Stanford University, which currently seats 50,000. The stadium was completely renovated in 2005-2006 and current amenities include two high-resolution video scoreboards, seven luxury suites, 400 Director’s level seats, closed circuit television at all concession stands and 200 concession points of sale. California Memorial Stadium at the University of California-Berkeley seats 75,662 and may be another possible location as the university is planning to make significant renovations to the 85-year-old stadium.
Dissatisfied with San Francisco’s new stadium proposal at Candlestick Point, the 49ers have opened negotiations with the city of Santa Clara for a new stadium. There is a new stadium proposal on the February 2009 ballot for the city of Santa Clara to decide if the city should move forward with a new football stadium for the San Francisco 49ers. The Santa Clara City Council recently approved placing the vote on the February 2009 ballot and the 49ers are asking the city to invest $136 million to the project. The estimated total cost of the stadium is $916 million and its location would be adjacent to California’s Great America Park and the current 49ers headquarters and practice facility. The new stadium is expected to seat 65,000 and open in 2012. The UFL will continue to monitor the situation of the new stadium proposal in Santa Clara as Monster Park may come available as a possible venue for a UFL team.
The United Football League (UFL) is a professional American Football league, which will begin its inaugural season on October 8, 2009 with the Las Vegas Locomotives playing against the California Redwoods.[6]
The league primarily consists of players that are talented enough to play in the National Football League but are currently not signed to NFL rosters. While the league has no official connection with the NFL, and does not intend to have such a relationship in the near future,[7] some have speculated that it could become a minor or "developmental" league for the NFL,[8][9] Early plans for the league described it as more of a "competitor" to the NFL,[10] though they have backed off this characterization in recent months.
Las Vegas Locomotives
Las Vegas Metropolitan Area
Background. Las Vegas, the most populous city in the state of Nevada and the 30th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with over 1.8 million residents, is expected to be the country’s fastest growing city from over the next dozen years. With 37 million visitors last year, Las Vegas continues to be one of America’s most visited cities. Entertainment and tourism are the city’s main economic industries. The city's four mile Las Vegas Strip is famous for its casinos, hotels, shopping, conventions, fine dining and adult entertainment and continues to attract tourists worldwide. Las Vegas is also home to 19 of the 25 largest hotels in the world and six Fortune 500 companies.
Las Vegas does not have a major professional sports team, although the city's metropolitan population is as large or larger than current cities with professional sports teams including Buffalo, San Antonio, Pittsburgh, Portland, Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Green Bay. The city is home to world championship boxing, extreme fighting (MMA), the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV), a AAA minor league baseball team -- Las Vegas 51s and various other sports properties. The city has been host to several other professional events including the 2007 NBA All-Star Game to Las Vegas, marking the first all-star game to be played in a non-NBA city. Las Vegas also hosted the Arena Football League’s championship game (ArenaBowls XIX and XX) in 2005-06 and continues to host several NASCAR events (Sprints Cup Series, Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Football History. Professional football in Las Vegas began during the 1968 and 1969 seasons as the Las Vegas Cowboys played in the Continental Football League. Although the Cowboys were competitive and drew crowds, the league disbanded after the 1969 season. In 1994, Las Vegas hosted a Canadian Football League (CFL) team for one season as the CFL experimented with expansion in the U.S. Attempting to play summer football in the Nevada desert heat was but one of the many missteps by the CFL team’s ownership group. The team averaged 9,000 fans per game and disbanded after one year. More recently, Las Vegas was home to the Las Vegas Outlaws during the XFL’s single season in 2001. The Outlaws averaged over 22,600 fans per game, despite finishing in last place in the Western Division. UNLV football has averaged almost 20,000 fans per game over the past 10 years.
Las Vegas was home to two Arena Football League teams: the Sting in 1994 and 1995, and the Gladiators from 2003-2007. The Gladiators averaged 10,000 fans per game over the last four years, with no playoff appearances, while the Sting averaged 5,700 fans per game over their two seasons.
Since 1992, the city has hosted the annual Las Vegas Bowl and has attracted an average of 42,000 fans.
Facilities and Stadiums. There are several facilities in the Las Vegas metropolitan area which could host a UFL team. Sam Boyd Stadium is the home of UNLV football, the Las Vegas Bowl game and was the home of the XFL’s Outlaws. The stadium seats 40,000 and can accommodate a few thousand more with temporary seating in the north end zone. There has also been a significant amount of talk about the possibility of a new football facility, most notably Dreamscape Development’s recent proposal for a 75,000 seat stadium to be built south of the Las Vegas Strip.
New York Sentinels
New York City Metropolitan Area
Background. New York City is the largest and most visited city in the U.S. and the fourth largest metropolitan area in the world with over 19.7 million residents and 40 million annual visitors. New York City is a major center for finance, insurance, real estate, media and the arts. The metropolitan area had an estimated gross metropolitan product of $952.6 billion in 2005; the largest regional economy in the country. New York City is comprised of five boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. With over 8.2 million residents within an area of 322 square miles, New York City is the most densely populated major city in the country. The New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ are the world's first and second largest stock exchanges, respectively, when measured by average daily trading volume and overall market capitalization. New York City is also home to 45 Fortune 500 companies and one out of ten private sector jobs in New York City are from foreign corporations.
In the sports arena, the New York City metro area is the only city in the U.S. with more than one team in each of the four major professional sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL).
Football History. New York City has a long history of strong support for its professional football teams. The New York Giants are one of the NFL’s most storied franchises and have a waiting list of potential season ticket purchasers that they do not anticipate being able to supply for well over 20 years. The New York Jets have a similar list. It is also important to note that both New York City NFL teams currently play in the same stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (the Meadowlands), which is only somewhat near certain parts of New York City (Manhattan, Staten Island, the Bronx) and considered quite far from Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island. Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island alone have a total population of close to 8 million and would find a UFL team based in New York City much more accessible than the current NFL teams that play in New Jersey.
Focusing on outdoor professional football leagues other than the NFL, the United States Football League's (USFL) New Jersey Generals (who played in the spring in the mid-1980’s in Giants Stadium) was one of the USFL's top drawing teams averaging 38,000 fans per game over three years (1983-85). New York City's XFL team also had good attendance. The New York/New Jersey Hitmen were the league’s second-best drawing team during the spring of 2001, the XFL’s single season of existence, averaging more than 28,000 fans per game at Giants Stadium.
The city also has been home to multiple Arena Football League teams: the New York Knights (1988), New York CityHawks (1997-98), New Jersey Red Dogs/Gladiators (1997-02), and the New York Dragons (since 2001). The Knights and CityHawks both fared poorly in attendance, local marketing, and on-field performance. This may have been caused by poor mismanagement of both teams. However, since the Dragons inception in 2001, the team has averaged between 9,000 and 12,000 fans over the past six years at Long Island’s Nassau County Coliseum. The nearby New Jersey Red Dogs/Gladiators played in the Continental Airlines Arena and achieved reasonable attendance figures over their six years of existence. If not for the sudden move by owner Jim Ferraro to Las Vegas during the start of the 2003 season, some supporters of the team believe the franchise would still be in existence today.
Facilities and Stadiums. There are several facilities in the New York City metropolitan area which could host a UFL team. The most appealing venue may be the Mets’ new baseball stadium Citi Field in Willets Point in the New York City borough of Queens, which will seat 45,000 in spring 2009. Historically, New York City baseball stadiums have been great venues for professional football. The Mets’ Shea Stadium was home to the American Football League, then National Football League, Jets from 1964-83 and the NFL Giants in 1975. Yankee Stadium was home to the Giants from 1956-73. The new Yankee Stadium, set to open spring 2009 with seating for 53,000, would also be ideal for a UFL team.
Another possible UFL venue is Laurence Wein Stadium at Columbia University in Manhattan. The stadium currently seats 16,500 with the possibility for expansion. Placing a UFL team in Wein stadium would make the UFL team the first major professional football team to play in Manhattan since 1964 when the New York Giants and Jets left the New York Polo Grounds for their current home in East Rutherford at Giant's Stadium.
Hofstra University’s James M. Shuart Stadium, which opened in 1962 on Long Island, currently seats 15,000 but could also be expanded. Shuart Stadium has served as the site for the NCAA Championships, Nassau County and New York City State High School Championships in football and lacrosse, world championships in men's and women's lacrosse, professional soccer, commencement exercises and cultural events. Within the past decade, Shuart Stadium has received a new artificial turf playing surface, several sections of new chair-back seating, a new sound system and a $3.8 million Field House in the south end zone. Shuart Stadium also served as a home for the Long Island Rough Riders of professional soccer's A-League.
Other possible UFL venues include Rutgers Stadium (40 miles south of New York City) with a seating capacity of 41,500; and Princeton Stadium (50 miles south of New York City) which seats nearly 28,000.
Florida Tuskers
Orlando Metropolitan Area
Background. Orlando is the third largest metropolitan region in Florida and the 27th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with over 2.0 million residents. Long one of the country’s fastest growing cities and, with over 50 million guests annually, Orlando is one of Florida's most visited cities. Thanks to Walt Disney World Resort, Sea World Adventure Parks and Universal Studios Resort, Orlando will always be best known for its ties to the travel and tourism industry. Orlando is also home to several large corporations including Fortune 500 companies Hughes Supply and Darden Restaurants and Fortune 1000 company Airtran. In the sports arena, Orlando has been home to the NBA’s Magic for nearly 20 years. The Magic, however, is the city’s only major professional sports team making Orlando the third-largest metropolitan area in the country to have only one major sports team.
Football History. Florida is generally regarded as a hotbed for college and professional football. The universities of Miami, Florida and Florida State often rank in the top twenty nationally,. Three of the NFL's 32 teams are in Florida -- the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. High school football is also very popular in Florida, a fact supported by the extraordinary number of top college and professional players that hail from the state. Interest in professional football among fans is also exceptional, evidenced by the amazing 50.4 Nielsen rating that the 2007 Super Bowl generated in Orlando. Orlando's Nielsen rating was the second highest nationally, and received a higher rating than Chicago, whose local team actually played in the game!
Given its attractive weather, impressive facilities and Floridians’ love for football, it is not surprising that Orlando has hosted franchises in a number of alternative football leagues. The city’s most recent franchise was the XFL’s Orlando Rage, which drew nearly 30,000 fans per game to the Citrus Bowl in 2001, ranking the team third league-wide in attendance. Orlando was also home to the NFL’s World League of American Football (WLAF) and the United States Football League (USFL), after the Washington Federals were sold and relocated as the Orlando Renegades. Playing at the Citrus Bowl, the Thunder (WLAF – 1991 and 1992) and the Renegades (USFL - 1985) averaged 18,000 and 24,000 fans, respectively. During the mid-1970s, the city also played home to the Florida Blazers, one of twelve teams in the short-lived World Football League (WFL). The Blazers averaged 15,000 fans per game in their only year of existence. In addition, the Orlando Panthers played in the minor-league Continental Football League in the late 1960s. The Panthers won two CPFL titles in 1967 and 1968, but folded with the league after the 1969 season.
Orlando is also home to the Arena Football League’s longest-standing (and one of its most successful) franchise. The Orlando Predators have played since 1991, averaging 13,500 fans per game over their 17 year existence.
Facilities and Stadiums. There are several facilities in the Orlando metropolitan area which could host a UFL team. Beginning in the fall of 2007, Orlando will have two world class football stadiums. The Florida Citrus Bowl, a municipally-owned facility that seats over 70,000, is home to two college bowl games - the Capital One Bowl (formerly Citrus Bowl) and the Champs Sports Bowl – as well as the annual Florida Classic between Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman. The stadium was also home to the University of Central Florida (UCF) football team from 1979 through 2006, the home of the USFL Orlando Renegades and the WLAF Orlando Thunder, and has hosted numerous concerts, World Cup soccer games and other events. On September 29, 2006, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced an agreement on a $175-million expansion of the Citrus Bowl. This expansion is part of the "Triple Crown for Downtown", a $1.1-billion plan to redo the Orlando Centroplex with a new $480-million arena for the Orlando Magic, a new $375-million performing arts center and the Citrus Bowl improvements.
Bright House Networks Stadium opened in September 2007 as the new home of UCF football. It will be on the school’s campus, will seat 45,323 fans and will have 24 luxury suites and 822 club seats. The stadium's west side features the four-level Roth Tower, which includes 24 luxury suites and houses a 4,200 square-foot Club Lounge with seating for 822. The Roth Tower includes a spacious press box, broadcast and administrative suites.
California Redwoods
San Francisco Metropolitan Area
Background. San Francisco is the fourth largest city in California with over 764,000 residents and the 12th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. San Francisco is part of the Bay area (approximately 7.2 million people) and in 2006; 15.8 million people visited the city and injected $7.8 billion into the local economy. The city is a cultural mecca in terms of arts, music, festivals, and museums. The metropolitan area is the sixth-largest TV market and the fourth largest radio market in the U.S. The city is also home to several Fortune 500 companies and large corporations such as Levi Strauss, Palm, URS, Williams-Sonoma, Wells Fargo, PG&E Corp. and Charles Schwab.
In the sports arena, the San Francisco metro area has been home to the MLB's Giants (since 1958), the NBA's San Francisco Warriors (1962-1971), the Major League Lacrosse’s (MLL) San Francisco Dragons (since 2006) and the NFL's San Francisco 49ers (since 1946). The surrounding San Francisco Bay area is home to the NHL's San Jose Sharks (since 1991), the National Lacrosse League’s (NLL) San Jose Stealth (since 2004) and the Arena Football League’s San Jose SaberCats (since 1995). The area also hosts the MLS's San Jose Earthquakes (since 2008), the California League's San Jose Giants (since 1988), the NBA’s Golden State Warriors (since 1971), the MLB's Oakland Athletics (since 1968) and the NFL’s Oakland Raiders (since 1960 and returned in 1995).
The San Francisco Bay Area is also well-represented in college sports. Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley, Santa Clara University, San Jose State University, San Francisco State University and the University of San Francisco all compete in NCAA division competitions.
Football History. The city of San Francisco and the surrounding Bay area has supported its professional football teams. The San Francisco 49ers is one of the NFL’s most storied franchises and has won five Super Bowl titles, including four during the 1980s. Since its inception in 1946, the 49ers have called the city home for over 60 years and continually sell-out games at Monster Park.
The Oakland Raiders have won three Super Bowl titles and one American Football League Championship title. The team has a rampant fan base and currently averages near sell-out games at McAfee Stadium.
Focusing on outdoor professional football leagues other than the NFL, the Oakland Invaders of the United States Football League, drew nearly 24,000 fans per game over three years (1983-85) at McAfee Coliseum. Even the San Francisco XFL team drew well, as the Demons were the league’s highest drawing team during the spring of 2001, averaging more than 35,000 fans per game at AT&T Park despite a (5-5) record.
Facilities and Stadiums. There are several facilities in the San Francisco metropolitan area which could host a UFL team. The most appealing venue may be the Giants’ baseball stadium AT&T Park in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, which seats 41,530. Since 2002, the city has annually hosted the Emerald Bowl which features a match-up of college football teams from the ACC and Pac-10 conferences. In recent years, the bowl game has attracted an average of 32,500 fans. Historically, San Francisco Bay area baseball stadiums have been great venues for professional football. The 49ers have played at Monster Park (previously Candlestick Park) since 1971 and the Raiders’ have played at McAfee Coliseum (previously Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum) from 1966-81 and again since 1995.
Another possible UFL venue is Stanford Stadium at Stanford University, which currently seats 50,000. The stadium was completely renovated in 2005-2006 and current amenities include two high-resolution video scoreboards, seven luxury suites, 400 Director’s level seats, closed circuit television at all concession stands and 200 concession points of sale. California Memorial Stadium at the University of California-Berkeley seats 75,662 and may be another possible location as the university is planning to make significant renovations to the 85-year-old stadium.
Dissatisfied with San Francisco’s new stadium proposal at Candlestick Point, the 49ers have opened negotiations with the city of Santa Clara for a new stadium. There is a new stadium proposal on the February 2009 ballot for the city of Santa Clara to decide if the city should move forward with a new football stadium for the San Francisco 49ers. The Santa Clara City Council recently approved placing the vote on the February 2009 ballot and the 49ers are asking the city to invest $136 million to the project. The estimated total cost of the stadium is $916 million and its location would be adjacent to California’s Great America Park and the current 49ers headquarters and practice facility. The new stadium is expected to seat 65,000 and open in 2012. The UFL will continue to monitor the situation of the new stadium proposal in Santa Clara as Monster Park may come available as a possible venue for a UFL team.
