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Jun 8, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; Fans cheer during the first half of the USFL conference championship football game between the Michigan Panthers and the Birmingham Stallions at Protective Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

UFL Relocation News Sparks Outrage, Action From Fans

Originally posted on UFL on SI | By Anthony Miller | Last updated Jul 25, 2025 7:00 PM ET

The UFL is currently feeling the wrath of the fans who will not stand by in silence anymore.

The bombshell report surfaced this week that the league was going to relocate all four USFL Conference teams (Birmingham Stallions, Michigan Panthers, Houston Roughnecks, and Memphis Showboats) to new cities. Those new locations are expected to be Florida, Kentucky, Boise and Columbus.

This news has not sat well with the fan base, as they have been outraged by the loss of multiple teams. The league has called it "unauthorized speculation," while Stallions head coach Skip Holtz has been told that it is "business as usual." It even prompted the mayor of Birmingham, Randall Woodfin, to chime in on social media, sharing his surprise at the news.

"We're sharing new strategies with the league to strengthen local attendance, boost sponsorships and maximize the team's long-term success here. There is opportunity for growth and we're committed to working together to make that happen."

We've heard the rumors from unofficial sources and have been assured by the league that no final decisions have been made about numerous teams for next season, including the Stallions. We were surprised by these rumors, since the Stallions have already begun collecting deposits…
— Randall Woodfin (@randallwoodfin) July 23, 2025

How are Birmingham and Michigan fans trying to save their teams?

On X, the hashtag "#savethestallions" has been trending, with the Birmingham fan base being the loudest among the four teams. Panthers fans have held their own as well, with both groups deciding to take it a step further.

Change.org has two separate petitions, with one being "SAVE THE STALLIONS: Help stop the UFL from uprooting Birmingham's best sports team" and the other being "Save The Michigan Panthers." As of Friday morning, nearly 1,300 people signed the Stallions' petition, while more than 500 people signed the Panthers' petition.

Credit should be given for the Stallions' and Panthers' fan bases for coming together and fighting for their teams. Both have legitimate arguments to be made to at least have those two teams stay in the UFL.

The Stallions have been the class of the UFL and spring football, winning three league championships since 2022. Their attendance was more than10,000 per game in 2024, but dipped to less than 9,000 per game in 2025. Birmingham still managed to have almost 11,000 fans there for the USFL Conference championship game.

Michigan was a massive disappointment to hear as it was the only UFL team that improved in attendance in 2025. The Panthers averaged more than 11,000 fans per game, including drawing over 16,000 for the final home game that had no meaning. The Panthers are coming off three straight postseason appearances and lost in the UFL title game against the DC Defenders last month.

There's no denying that not many people will miss the Showboats or Roughnecks after disastrous seasons with attendance. Houston had about 5,700 per game, while Memphis had the worst with right under 4,000 per game.

Taking two teams like the Panthers and Stallions away does seem like the white flag is being waived a bit too soon. The UFL understands the attendance issue and is reportedly taking action with the team moves.

It does pose an interesting question as to whether this fan action will spark the league to change its mind on at least Michigan and Birmingham. What an epic moment it would be if the fans were able to save at least two of the teams from relocation.

This article first appeared on UFL on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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