Birmingham and the NFL

Nicodemus

3rd Team
Dec 26, 2004
210
0
0
49
Tuscaloosa
NashvilleTider said:
I was in Memphis during the last NFL expansion efforts. Everyone thought we were a lock to get a team. The fan base was there. All the prior sub-NFL teams had drawn well there. We had a billionaire owner. Everyone agreed that Memphis fans would support an NFL team. Didn't happen. It's all about the money. Nothing else matters to the NFL. Now Birmingham needs, must have, a new stadium,
Birmingham City Council is supposedly sidestepping the will of the people and have designs on building a domed stadium. I'll believe it when it happens, but it has been a goal of the Birmingham government for about the last decade. If they got that amusement park built, I'm convinced they'll eventually get this thing off the ground.

NashvilleTider said:
but are there enough corporations there to buy out the skyboxes and pay the "seat licenses" to make some fat cat owner even richer?
Along with Charlotte, Birmingham is the banking capital of the southeast. AmSouth, Southtrust, Regions, etc. all have massive operations there and it's THE corporate HQ for several of those. I'm sure you add in the massive Birmingham based companies like Liberty National,Bruno's, companies like Vulcan Materials, EBSCO Industries. SAKS Incorporated is run out of Birmingham. I'm between B'ham areas businesses and those around Huntsville, Montgomery, etc. that they could sell massive amounts of corporate boxes.

NashvilleTider said:
I love the Titans and they are definitely an asset to Nashville. But Titans owner Bud Adams has a virtual stranglehold over the public financed stadium. Do you want that?
It's not the best deal in the world certainly, but I think it'd be a big boost for Birmingham both financially as well as mentally.
 

Nicodemus

3rd Team
Dec 26, 2004
210
0
0
49
Tuscaloosa
1FitToBeTide said:
Not in my lifetime, in my opinion. Or maybe yours, either....
I'm sure that's probably true (I don't know how old you are though ;) )

I'm not saying I think it'll happen, but I think what needs to happen could be accomplished. I also think the NFL is the only top-tier pro sport the city could support. No way on MLB, NBA, NHL or MLS. Purely theoretical discussion. The 2000 census put the four county Birmingham metro area population at 920,000. I just can't believe there aren't 60,000 or more people there that wouldn't go to those games regularly.
 

PlayerUA

All-SEC
Apr 1, 2000
1,211
6
0
Huntsville, Alabama
For some reason, Birmingham has had good success in hosting US soccer matches in the past. I think a MLS team would be more realistic and serve as a proving point to the real major leagues. I just don't see the NFL EVER coming to Alabama.

The Titans have a very strong grip on the Huntsville market and I'm sure both they and the Falcons would protest such a move.
 

Alanbama27

All-American
Sep 24, 2003
4,629
35
67
63
Hoover, Alabama, USA
My two cents for what it's worth...

Birmingham would and has always supported it's semi-professional teams and would be a HUGE draw for an NFL Franchise. With that said, I too believe that if it happens it wouldn't be for several years...maybe 10 or so. The main reason is that it will take at least 5 for "the" stadium to be built, if it's built and then another 5 lobbying for a team. As for money, that's NOT AN ISSUE in Birmingham. B'ham has many VERY wealthy men who have and would gladly step up to the plate and fund an NFL Franchise.

Many of you are likely not aware, but two Birmingham men and a small group of outside investors just purchased the Alladin Casino in Las Vegas...the original cost to build it was WELL OVER A BILLION DOLLARS! My guess is that they're getting a deal on it, but the cost is still more than an NFL Franchise!
 

Nicodemus

3rd Team
Dec 26, 2004
210
0
0
49
Tuscaloosa
PlayerUA said:
For some reason, Birmingham has had good success in hosting US soccer matches in the past. I think a MLS team would be more realistic and serve as a proving point to the real major leagues. I just don't see the NFL EVER coming to Alabama.
As successful as the soccer games in Birmingham have been (and there's another coming March 30, 2005) I think that interest is in the US National Team. I'm not sure it would transfer over to a pro team week in and week out. An MLS team currently needs an average attendance of around 15,000-18,000, a stadium owned by the team and a serious investor to turn a profit. The league has been around 9 years and it took until the 7th year for a team to turn a profit. Most of them are becoming financially stable, and the league is expanding (this year to Salt Lake City and a 2nd team in Los Angeles), but some teams have struggled in much bigger cities than Birmingham. As much as I'd love to have MLS in Birmingham (and I would seriously move back immediately if they landed a team), but I think it is a long way off from being able to support pro soccer long term.

The Titans have a very strong grip on the Huntsville market and I'm sure both they and the Falcons would protest such a move.
That's true.
 

Ramah Jamah

1st Team
Sep 17, 2002
974
6
0
Mobile, AL
I just do not see B'ham getting team for the simple reason that I do not see a new stadium being built. As someone else mentioned the Titans and Falcons would fight that tough and nail (I would also throw in the Saints since that is the big pro team down here). B'ham has some messed up politics and I think that would work against them too. I don't doubt that B'ham could and would support a team I just don't know of a market that would be willing to move there.
 

bamabake

Hall of Fame
Jul 25, 2000
5,450
17
0
60
waco, tx, USA
Alanbama27 said:
Birmingham would and has always supported it's semi-professional teams and would be a HUGE draw for an NFL Franchise. With that said, I too believe that if it happens it wouldn't be for several years...maybe 10 or so. The main reason is that it will take at least 5 for "the" stadium to be built, if it's built and then another 5 lobbying for a team. As for money, that's NOT AN ISSUE in Birmingham. B'ham has many VERY wealthy men who have and would gladly step up to the plate and fund an NFL Franchise.

Many of you are likely not aware, but two Birmingham men and a small group of outside investors just purchased the Alladin Casino in Las Vegas...the original cost to build it was WELL OVER A BILLION DOLLARS! My guess is that they're getting a deal on it, but the cost is still more than an NFL Franchise!
]


Not only that but Bham has had nothing but winners in the past. Stallions, was it the Bulls? The Vulcans I think?
 

Nicodemus

3rd Team
Dec 26, 2004
210
0
0
49
Tuscaloosa
Ramah Jamah said:
Lets say by some miracle that B'ham got an indoor stadium. Then what team do they get. The NFL has already said that they will not be expanding.
Don't squash the fun of theory with the dreary reality. :biggrin:
 

drsmithofga

1st Team
Dec 7, 2004
884
0
0
If you go back to the early seventies until now (Birmingham Americans, Vulcans, Stallions among some others), the teams fielded have always been competitive and fun to watch. That is not the problem. The problem has always been fan support. Each of those team went down in flames for financial reasons, if I'm not mistaken. Birmingham and surrounding areas have provided abismal fan support to these teams. Anyone who would want to start a new team (NFL,NBA,NHL whatever) would have to be a masochist.

I have to believe that those who would support such a pipe dream are younger than 30 years old.
 

RobK

All-SEC
Aug 27, 2004
1,506
7
0
48
Holts Summit, MO
knodell.blog-city.com
You have to remember that the NFL commissioner has said putting a team back in the Los Angeles market is goal #1. Most people expect an existing team with a bad stadium deal (Saints? Colts? Chargers?) to eventually relocate to there. Don't pin your hopes on the NFL expanding beyond the 32 teams they have now.

Birmingham (with a new stadium) would be a great NFL city, but don't expect a team there until the current crop of new stadiums start to age and teams begin moving around again.
 

Nicodemus

3rd Team
Dec 26, 2004
210
0
0
49
Tuscaloosa
drsmithofga said:
If you go back to the early seventies until now (Birmingham Americans, Vulcans, Stallions among some others), the teams fielded have always been competitive and fun to watch. That is not the problem. The problem has always been fan support. Each of those team went down in flames for financial reasons, if I'm not mistaken. Birmingham and surrounding areas have provided abismal fan support to these teams. Anyone who would want to start a new team (NFL,NBA,NHL whatever) would have to be a masochist.
On the contrary, the Birmingham teams have been some of the best supported in these leagues. It's usually the league that goes belly up before the Birmingham squad:

USFL numbers (besides season 1, B'ham in top half):
http://www.remembertheusfl.8m.com/attendance.html

XFL numbers (admittedly low, but that was fake football)
http://kenn.com/sports/football/xfl/

WFL:
http://www.misterhabs.com/wfl.htm
excerpts from the article:
Despite quality franchises in Birmingham, Memphis, Florida, and Southern California, other teams were floundering, moving to other cities mid-season or folding all together.
Two of the more successful WFL franchises, Birmingham and Memphis, strong on the field and finanically, applied for expansion in the NFL. The NFL, which already planned for expansion in Tampa Bay and Seattle in 1976, declined the offer.
WLAF (Birmingham described as one of more financially successful town in flames for financial reasons, if I'm not mistaken. Birmingham and surrounding areas have provided abismal fan support to these teams. Anyone who would want to start a new team (NFL,NBA,NHL whatever) would have to be a masochist.
[/QUOTE]

On the contrary, the Birmingham teams have been some of the best supported in these leagues. It's usually the league that goes belly up before the Birmingham squad:

USFL numbers (besides season 1, B'ham in top half):
http://www.remembertheusfl.8m.com/attendance.html

XFL numbers (admittedly low, but that was fake football)
http://kenn.com/sports/football/xfl/

WFL:
http://www.misterhabs.com/wfl.htm
excerpts from the article:
Despite quality franchises in Birmingham, Memphis, Florida, and Southern California, other teams were floundering, moving to other cities mid-season or folding all together.
Two of the more successful WFL franchises, Birmingham and Memphis, strong on the field and finanically, applied for expansion in the NFL. The NFL, which already planned for expansion in Tampa Bay and Seattle in 1976, declined the offer.
WLAF (Birmingham described as one of more financially successful teams):
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/1871/firlames
USFL numbers (besides season 1, B'ham in top half):
http://www.remembertheusfl.8m.com/attendance.html

CFL:
http://www.oursportscentral.com/cflinamerica/birm.php

that team was a disaster, but much like the XFL, fake football

AF2, even for the fakest football of all, B'ham is amongst league leaders:

http://www.arenafan.com/statistics/?page=attendance&league=2


(you realized I'm just being good-naturedly obstinate right? :D )
 
Last edited:

Nicodemus

3rd Team
Dec 26, 2004
210
0
0
49
Tuscaloosa
the coding on this forum is jacked. for some reason, if you quote without the username (which was necessary for article quotes) it repeats large portions of your post. hmmm.. :(
 

drsmithofga

1st Team
Dec 7, 2004
884
0
0
I know alot of people want an NFL team in Birmingham, and have for many years. Birmingham was at a crossroads in the early seventies, and things really could have turned out differently(not just football). If you want to know what went wrong, two words: Richard Arrington. Sorry if that is offensive.

Atlanta made the right moves back then, and Birmingham made all the wrong ones. And our wonderful leaders are still an embarrassment.

There are too many images over 30 years of (at best) a half full Legion Field for Birmingham to be a strong sell to the NFL. There have been great moments, no doubt; I attended some of those Birmingham Americans games and they were fun, and very hopeful. But Alabama is a college state, not an NFL state. The ones who go to Tuscaloosa and Auburn on Saturday would have to come to Birmingham the next day.

I don't know why I'm dwelling on this so much. I guess it is because I have wanted to see Birmingham succeed and it never really has. Unlike some, I have lived all around the U.S., and am not ignorant to what is out there in the rest of the world.
 

rolltide92276

1st Team
Jan 8, 2002
822
5
0
Hueytown, Alabama, U.S.A.
My thoughts...

1. It angers me that the city is trying to push for a domed stadium when the people voted it down about six years ago.

2. Like others have said, Birmingham will not be able to support an NFL team, especially if we can't support the CFL, WFL, etc.

3. Why are we so gung ho to build a stadium when the money raised would be much more wisely spent on things like education, transportation, etc.

Even if a domed stadium is built, I don't think it will draw the NFL to Birmingham. To me it would be a waste of money, time, energy and resources that could be better used on other things. JMHO!
 

Bebes

1st Team
Feb 10, 2004
512
4
0
and then we could all read about how the whole NFL is trying to bring down the Birmingham team!
 

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