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The USFL will have use of Protective Stadium for up to 40 games, plus three playoff games from about April 15, 2022, to July 3, 2022, at no cost, according to a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding between the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center (BJCC) and the National Spring Football League (NSFL, which owns the USFL)

The Birmingham Legion are getting games there as well.

https://www.al.com/sports/2021/10/usfl-b...ngham.html

Glad the Legion will play some games at Protective.

A lot of "good faith" stuff in this agreement...

(10-18-2021 05:40 PM)BlazerMatt Wrote:  The USFL will have use of Protective Stadium for up to 40 games, plus three playoff games from about April 15, 2022, to July 3, 2022, at no cost, according to a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding between the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center (BJCC) and the National Spring Football League (NSFL, which owns the USFL)

The Birmingham Legion are getting games there as well.

https://www.al.com/sports/2021/10/usfl-b...ngham.html

I use to enjoy going to Birmingham Stallions games. In fact, I own a car that was purchased brand new by their star running back, Joe Cribbs. It is a 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo that I bought in Houston several years back. It came with a huge stack of paper work going all the way back to the original owner. The guy I bought if from had mentioned that some former Buffalo Bills player owned it. Joe Cribbs played for Auburn and took O J Simpson's place with the Buffalo Bills. I think he played in several Pro Bowls as an all star in the NFL. He eventually sued the Bills in order to be allowed to jump ship to the USFL and play for Birmingham. I think he still lives in the Birmingham area. If any of you know him or ever see him, let him know I have his car if he ever wants to see a picture of it. It is still in great condition.

Birmingham has history with the original USFL and spring leagues of the past

So how does this really benefit Bham and Protective? Positive advertising? I'm convinced every one of these leagues fails quickly until one succeeds. Us getting a G league team is way more exciting. Can't wait to see those South Bay Lakers in Legacy!

(10-21-2021 09:00 PM)Ramblin Wreck Wrote:  

(10-18-2021 05:40 PM)BlazerMatt Wrote:  The USFL will have use of Protective Stadium for up to 40 games, plus three playoff games from about April 15, 2022, to July 3, 2022, at no cost, according to a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding between the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center (BJCC) and the National Spring Football League (NSFL, which owns the USFL)

The Birmingham Legion are getting games there as well.

https://www.al.com/sports/2021/10/usfl-b...ngham.html

I use to enjoy going to Birmingham Stallions games. In fact, I own a car that was purchased brand new by their star running back, Joe Cribbs. It is a 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo that I bought in Houston several years back. It came with a huge stack of paper work going all the way back to the original owner. The guy I bought if from had mentioned that some former Buffalo Bills player owned it. Joe Cribbs played for Auburn and took O J Simpson's place with the Buffalo Bills. I think he played in several Pro Bowls as an all star in the NFL. He eventually sued the Bills in order to be allowed to jump ship to the USFL and play for Birmingham. I think he still lives in the Birmingham area. If any of you know him or ever see him, let him know I have his car if he ever wants to see a picture of it. It is still in great condition.

Joe is a great guy. He also was an assistant coach for UAB Football in the early years.

(10-21-2021 10:12 PM)BlazintheAtl1 Wrote:  So how does this really benefit Bham and Protective? Positive advertising? I'm convinced every one of these leagues fails quickly until one succeeds. Us getting a G league team is way more exciting. Can't wait to see those South Bay Lakers in Legacy!

Yikes! You'd have to pay me to go see that.

(10-22-2021 10:26 AM)blazerjay Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 10:12 PM)BlazintheAtl1 Wrote:  So how does this really benefit Bham and Protective? Positive advertising? I'm convinced every one of these leagues fails quickly until one succeeds. Us getting a G league team is way more exciting. Can't wait to see those South Bay Lakers in Legacy!

Yikes! You'd have to pay me to go see that.

...they noted that all the teams will be 'boarded' (?) in local hotels, and other fees for their 'upkeep' will generally offset the 'up front' money from the City and then some... my fear is that the league pulls...whatever the last league (Iron) did, and fold mid-season... not to be a pessimist, but even the MOST optimistic fan has reservations about 'pro football leagues Birmingham is a part of' at this point...

That’s how I see this going. City let’s them use the stadium for free in return for the league booking all the hotel rooms and promises that the league will reimburse the city for gameday expenses. then the league goes bankrupt and either the city or hotels are on the hook for a ton of money.

Isn't this the "Official, Unofficial, NFL Minor League"...so is fed by NFL (& draft). If they own it, they'll keep it propped up. It only matters in that this is something to make a little more money and add more players.

The USFL's purpose was to compete with the NFL from the beginning. The schedule didn't try to coincide with the NFL draft (extending into July) and they were offering salaries that were higher than the NFL. The main problem was instability due to some owners having a lot more money and resources. (A repeat of the WFL) San Antonio was playing their games in a stadium used by high schools while other teams were using NFL stadiums. I'd love to see a rebirth of a USFL that could actually compete with the NFL. The old version came closer than anybody else. On a side note, I think Birmingham had the best logo and mascot by far.

(10-22-2021 08:36 PM)Ramblin Wreck Wrote:  The USFL's purpose was to compete with the NFL from the beginning. The schedule didn't try to coincide with the NFL draft (extending into July) and they were offering salaries that were higher than the NFL. The main problem was instability due to some owners having a lot more money and resources. (A repeat of the WFL) San Antonio was playing their games in a stadium used by high schools while other teams were using NFL stadiums. I'd love to see a rebirth of a USFL that could actually compete with the NFL. The old version came closer than anybody else. On a side note, I think Birmingham had the best logo and mascot by far.

...we can resurrect the STALLION STOMP!!!

I was thinking about adding a few local HS games to play in the stadium like Carver and Parker.

During the Magic City Classic press conference on yesterday it was hinted that the Classic would be moved to Progressive in a few years which created all kinds of questions regarding parking and tailgating amongst State and A&M fans. Is there a long term plan for this at Progressive? I keep hearing different things about parking and tailgating areas.

(10-28-2021 01:46 PM)GreenHornet33 Wrote:  During the Magic City Classic press conference on yesterday it was hinted that the Classic would be moved to Progressive in a few years which created all kinds of questions regarding parking and tailgating amongst State and A&M fans. Is there a long term plan for this at Progressive? I keep hearing different things about parking and tailgating areas.

I think once the park under the interstate opens it will present more opportunities for tailgate areas.

Parking is what it is. There are long term plans for a couple of additional parking decks, one immediately northwest of the stadium and one in combination with a third hotel on the site of the current green lot adjacent to Top Golf.

Hopefully Birmingham will catch up with the times at some point and people will realize the best way to go to a game, if you are not tailgating, is to Uber and be let out at the front gate.

(10-28-2021 02:30 PM)DuelingDragon Wrote:  Hopefully Birmingham will catch up with the times at some point and people will realize the best way to go to a game, if you are not tailgating, is to Uber and be let out at the front gate.

I rode the Blazer shuttle over from campus for the Rice game. It was easy and painless to say the least. 5 minutes over to the stadium and a little longer on the way back just because everyone was trying to get on the bus and head home but overall was a good deal and free. Will be doing that again

(10-28-2021 02:46 PM)UABOG85 Wrote:  

(10-28-2021 02:30 PM)DuelingDragon Wrote:  Hopefully Birmingham will catch up with the times at some point and people will realize the best way to go to a game, if you are not tailgating, is to Uber and be let out at the front gate.

I rode the Blazer shuttle over from campus for the Rice game. It was easy and painless to say the least. 5 minutes over to the stadium and a little longer on the way back just because everyone was trying to get on the bus and head home but overall was a good deal and free. Will be doing that again

My wife and I have done it for all three home games, and we haven't had an issue yet. I am afraid to recommend too much though, because if everyone figures out how easy it is, it probably won't be so easy any more.

And a quick shoutout to former Blazer basketballer rank Haywood, who coordinates the shuttle each week, coming and going.

(10-28-2021 02:30 PM)DuelingDragon Wrote:  Hopefully Birmingham will catch up with the times at some point and people will realize the best way to go to a game, if you are not tailgating, is to Uber and be let out at the front gate.

I went to the first game, first time I've ever visited Bham without a car...over the weekend, it was hands down the least reliable Uber experience I've ever had, and I live in a city with pretty poor Uber availability
(if we're talking about a single event, trying to leave Foxboro Stadium was the worst Uber event I've ever experienced)