Goodbye UAB football

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

@ThayerEvansSI: BREAKING: UAB is firing athletic director Brian Mackin & will announce later this week it will be shutting down football program per source.

[PhatMack19]

They were 6-6 this year. If money was the problem I'm sure they could have filled their schedule with SEC teams and gotten some big paydays.

[PN-G bamatex]

They were 6-6 this year. If money was the problem I'm sure they could have filled their schedule with SEC teams and gotten some big paydays.

 

... which is why money was the excuse, not the real problem. The real problem here was that the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama System wanted one football team to represent the entire system and one football team alone. That's the Crimson Tide, not the Blazers.

 

What's really sad about this isn't so much that UAB is losing its football team, it's that one of the last uses for Legion Field is its service as UAB's home stadium. Now the only thing there is the BBVA Compass Bowl and the occasional high school playoff game. I'm afraid that stadium's days are numbered.

[NorthoftheBorder]

If Saban was a good person, he would lobby publicly and loudly against this!!

[PhatMack19]

... which is why money was the excuse, not the real problem. The real problem here was that the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama System wanted one football team to represent the entire system and one football team alone. That's the Crimson Tide, not the Blazers.

What's really sad about this isn't so much that UAB is losing its football team, it's that one of the last uses for Legion Field is its service as UAB's home stadium. Now the only thing there is the BBVA Compass Bowl and the occasional high school playoff game. I'm afraid that stadium's days are numbered.

Any idea of their attendance? That stadium holds 70,000+

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

If Saban was a good person, he would lobby publicly and loudly against this!!

interesting

[PN-G bamatex]

Any idea of their attendance? That stadium holds 70,000+

I've never been to a UAB game, so I can't say from experience. I remember watching one on local TV once, and the attendance may have been in the neighborhood of 25,000. Can't recall who they were playing.

[Peppermint Patty]

I've never been to a UAB game, so I can't say from experience. I remember watching one on local TV once, and the attendance may have been in the neighborhood of 25,000. Can't recall who they were playing.

Those are Cougar High type numbers.

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- An estimated 29,604 fans attended UAB's game against Alabama A&M at Legion Field Saturday, the highest attendance in 42 games according to UAB officials.

On Sept. 30, 2006, 32,818 witnessed UAB's 21-3 victory over in-state foe Troy. UAB's average attendance last season fell to 10,548 as the Blazers endured a 2-10 season under head coach Garrick McGee, who was replaced by Bill Clark in January.

[Eazy]

UAB is bowl eligible for the 1st time in 10 years.

[Peppermint Patty]

UAB is bowl eligible for the 1st time in 10 years.

It would be easier to list who is NOT bowl eligible.

[Eazy]

It would be easier to list who is NOT bowl eligible.

Just saying. They haven't had a winning record in 10 years. Maybe they win a bowl game in the year they are shutdown.

[Peppermint Patty]

Just saying. They haven't had a winning record in 10 years. Maybe they win a bowl game in the year they are shutdown.

They average 10k fans. They ain't going to no bowl.

[skipmeister]

Rice averages over the same amount in a home game and it has a like 60k stadium and it's on campus. Just like UAB they have a very small fan and alumni base. Other than that, if the program were to be eliminated, I feel sorry for the players and coaches! They worked very hard just to make programs like that successful! Maybe if they could get an on campus stadium, it would be great!

[Peppermint Patty]

Rice averages over the same amount in a home game and it has a like 60k stadium and it's on campus. Just like UAB they have a very small fan and alumni base. Other than that, if the program were to be eliminated, I feel sorry for the players and coaches! They worked very hard just to make programs like that successful! Maybe if they could get an on campus stadium, it would be great!

I agree, but Rice usually goes bowling only if they win the conference or have more than the 6 wins necessary.

[Javelina]

if UAB football does go away will that start another conference realignment shift or maybe C-USA already knew about this and went ahead of schedule and accepted Old Dominion as a full member this year to replace a departing UAB?

[Eazy]

They average 10k fans. They ain't going to no bowl.

UAB actually averaged 20,000 in attendance this year. Doesn't matter now. Looks like the plug has been pulled.

[skipmeister]

Likely South Alabama is a potential replacement for UAB.

[Javelina]

Likely South Alabama is a potential replacement for UAB.

C-USA is at 13 teams with UAB.  Do you think they will go after another school to get back to 13 or go for 2 to get up to 14 or stay at 12?

[RaiderRed30]

C-USA is at 13 teams with UAB. Do you think they will go after another school to get back to 13 or go for 2 to get up to 14 or stay at 12?

Well CUSA will have 13 teams next year as Charlotte starts their team. Read that CUSA bylaws state schools must sponsor football so it could be that UAB is removed entirely from the conference. For other sports having an odd number of teams will make scheduling tricky so they probably will need to expand if they rule that UAB must leave. If not then they may just follow the MACs scheduling.

[skipmeister]

CUSA lost one and they gained one! They are still getting there!

[Eazy]

Doubtful UAB gets a Bowl invite.