In its first season, the UFL had a successful run on TV but struggled at the box office. The league, consisting of eight teams, averaged 12,828 fans per game over 40 regular-season games played during 10 weekends. However, without St. Louis’ numbers, the league would have only averaged 8,532 fans per game.
The St. Louis Battlehawks led the way with an impressive 34,365 fans per game, significantly boosting the league’s overall average attendance. The D.C. Defenders followed closely behind with 14,143 fans per game, while the Memphis Showboats had the lowest attendance at 6,893 fans per game.
Moving forward, the UFL should focus on placing teams in markets where fans are eager to support the league. Following the success of the XFL team in Seattle and spurned NFL markets like San Diego and Oakland might prove successful targets for expansion. Having three teams in Texas may be excessive considering that only two NFL teams exist in this region. It would also be beneficial to have at least one team in the Ohio/Pennsylvania/New York area to attract more fans and increase its visibility among potential customers.
While the UFL has shown promise in its first season, it needs to expand into markets similar to St. Louis that have shown strong support and enthusiasm for its games to achieve long-term success and sustainability as a league.
The true test will be for UFL to not only survive but thrive in a highly competitive sports market by strategically placing teams in promising locations and building on its initial successes.
In conclusion, if UFL wants to become a sustainable and successful league in the long term, it needs to focus on expanding into markets with strong support for its games like St. Louis and target spurned NFL markets like San Diego or Oakland for future growth opportunities.
