Sweet Home? UFL Could Bring Team, Dome To Birmingham

Birmingham Mayor-elect Larry Langford indicated that he will propose a 55,000-seat dome stadium to the city that could house a UFL team, according to Doug Segrest of the BIRMINGHAM NEWS. UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue, who has discussed the proposal with Langford, said Birmingham is “exactly the environment we want to be in.” Segrest noted Birmingham is one of 12 U.S. “markets being considered” for the upstart league’s eight charter franchises. A Birmingham team would play at Legion Field, where Birmingham City Schools play high school football games, “at least for a couple of seasons until a dome stadium could be built.” Huyghue “admitted a Friday night league might have some obstacles in Alabama, considering the loyalty to high school football.” But Langford said that he “believes there’s room for seven UFL home games and the usual prep schedule.” Huyghue said, “We’ll play half our schedule before the high school season begins. We also might be able to play once or twice on a Thursday or Saturday to avoid competing with high schools” (BIRMINGHAM NEWS, 11/13).