Jun 14, 2025; St. Louis, MO, USA; Michigan Panthers wide receiver Malik Turner (17) scores a touchdown against the DC Defenders during the second quarter of the 2025 UFL Championship at The Dome at America’s Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Le-Imagn Images Jeff Le-Imagn Images

UFL Relocation: Should Michigan Panthers Go or Stay?

Originally posted on UFL on SI | By Anthony Miller | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Four UFL teams are reportedly going to be relocated for the 2026 season, and this has not sat well with the fan base.

The Birmingham Stallions, Michigan Panthers, Houston Roughnecks and Memphis Showboats appears to be on the verge of securing new homes next year. Petitions and hashtags can be found all over the internet, with fans trying to save the USFL Conference teams from extinction.

One of the teams that has many more fans puzzled as to why they would leave is the Panthers. There is so much positive momentum going their way, so why bail now? Is it justified or should the league go back to the drawing board and make it work with the defending USFL Conference champions?

Should the Michigan Panthers Stay or Go?

David Reginek-Imagn Images

If there is one team that is a resounding head scratcher for relocation, it has to be the Michigan Panthers.

There isn't a UFL team who has made quite the transition that Michigan has to "yes, get them out" to "no this is working, keep them there." In 2024, the Panthers averaged 8,134 fans per game, which was ranked sixth. Last year, they completely turned it around with 11,681 fans per game, which was third in the UFL. They were the only team in the UFL that increased their average attendance from 2024 to 2025.

Why did it do better in 2025? Panthers quarterback and UFL MVP Bryce Perkins plays ultimately the biggest part of that. A ton of credit needs to go to the sales and marketing teams of the Panthers, too. Detroit is a tough city to bring fans to a sporting event like the UFL and those departments did a great job in making it happen.

The reality is that the league is considering relocating the Panthers due to Ford Field. It was not available for them for the USFL Conference Championship game this year, and the UFL wants to make teams' stadiums more accessible for big games like that one. There are other stadiums they could try to use around the area, so that a smaller stadium looks better on TV and a better chance of being available for the playoffs in the summer.

It's a shame that the UFL is looking to move the Panthers because they were finally getting traction there. This is one the league should reconsider and keep. They just need to find a different stadium.

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

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