The NFL had blackout rules for decades because it wanted to make televised games look like big deals using footage of packed stands. The reverse is also true. If the stands are empty, it will be harder for fans at home to feel obligated to attend a game.
This has been one of the challenges of spring football in recent years, from the 2019 AAF to the 2020 XFL to the 2022 and 2023 USFL to the 2023 XFL. However, while there are some exceptions (such as St. Louis) where he accepts the BattleHawks as a middle finger to the NFL and the Rams, attendance for most games is noticeably sparse. Many venues have large areas of empty seating on the lower level of the venue.
Yesterday's UFL debut game unsurprisingly drew a decent crowd. Opening game between Birmingham Stallions and Arlington Renegades via Mike Mitchell of SI.com Attracted 14,153 fans. In the second game, the Michigan Panthers will take on the St. Louis BattleHawks. Draw 9,444 at Ford Field.
Frankly, it would have made more sense to have the Battlehawks play at home. They would have brought a bigger crowd through the gates, which could have helped generate some early momentum. In any case, these are the numbers that a league like this produces. The best strategy would be to play in smaller stadiums with limited capacity, if only to avoid shots with empty stands. Because there's no such thing as “who cares?” It's like a big chunk of plastic sheeting with no cigarette butts in it.
Another piece of the puzzle is evaluation. The Foxes played two games yesterday. ESPN will be hosting a doubleheader today. It's not an ideal weekend to influence Nielsen's numbers, but it's another constructive criticism of a spring soccer league already facing strong headwinds. More frankly, why start this weekend when his men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments are in the midst of a bid to advance to the final four, and baseball is once again in full bloom?
It's not impossible to start quietly and build momentum, but it's always better to exit the gate with a bang. A brand new brand that has chosen to eschew the more established “XFL” or “USFL” labels, the UFL needs greater success if it is to make enough money to survive.
