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I didn't know that UAB was getting their own stadium. (Drone footage of construction)

What a 180 - from playing in front of 1,000 people every game to having 47,100 fans.
I think it means Trump is going to restart the WFL after this being President thing ends.

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Looks like it is going to be very "roomy", fan friendly, with wide plaza areas and spacious concourses all away around the stadium. Unlike the JOAN in that respect. If they keep putting good teams on the field they should draw fairly well; and with that type of seating capacity probably can draw some Home and home deals with some Power programs. Should be a "plus" overall for CUSA!
 
This was announced very shortly after they reinstated.
Some big money people told them they wouldn't support unless a new stadium.
Not on campus but closer than the relic they played in.
Close to BCCC where the conference basketball tournament has been played.
That area of downtown is nice
 
What a 180 - from playing in front of 1,000 people every game to having 47,100 fans.

47,100 seats. UAB has maybe 5000 fans. The stadium might encourage a few more to show up, as the old place should have been condemned decades ago, but UAB will never have 47,100 fans.

Sorta shocked the seating capacity is that high. They could have gotten by with 30K. Jmo

The key word here is "mutlipurpose". You have the Birmingham Bowl to consider, plus the "Magic City Classic" HBCU game, which is still a thing, 60 years after mission accomplished. The Karens will start demanding a soccer team. IF UAB can get a name team (bottom SEC, service academy, couple others possibly) for its first game it will sell out that once. Then it will be back to normal.

. If they keep putting good teams on the field they should draw fairly well; and with that type of seating capacity probably can draw some Home and home deals with some Power programs.

Why exactly would a "power" program want to play a H&H with UAB? There are none on its schedule for as far into the future as they will list.

But, nah, they won't "draw well". We forget how easy we have in here in WV. Our "competition" is a far off, out-of-state student focused, nationally insignificant loser program. There is plenty of room for us to thrive. Alabama? Two in-state focused, statewide serving, nationally significant, national championship winning members of the Greatest Conference In The History Of The World. One of those 54 miles away. After those two national programs suck 98.4% of all the available air out of the room, the rotting relic of HBCU football gets its share, then Troy, USA, Jacksonville State, a couple of fine DII programs, the many people in Birmingham from other southern states who follow other SEC schools, and four people in Alabama that watch soccer each take their share. Leaving UAB with what it always is left with. A couple thousand people who would rather watch UAB play North Texas than turn on their TV and watch the SEC.
 
47,100 seats. UAB has maybe 5000 fans. The stadium might encourage a few more to show up, as the old place should have been condemned decades ago, but UAB will never have 47,100 fans.



The key word here is "mutlipurpose". You have the Birmingham Bowl to consider, plus the "Magic City Classic" HBCU game, which is still a thing, 60 years after mission accomplished. The Karens will start demanding a soccer team. IF UAB can get a name team (bottom SEC, service academy, couple others possibly) for its first game it will sell out that once. Then it will be back to normal.



Why exactly would a "power" program want to play a H&H with UAB? There are none on its schedule for as far into the future as they will list.

But, nah, they won't "draw well". We forget how easy we have in here in WV. Our "competition" is a far off, out-of-state student focused, nationally insignificant loser program. There is plenty of room for us to thrive. Alabama? Two in-state focused, statewide serving, nationally significant, national championship winning members of the Greatest Conference In The History Of The World. One of those 54 miles away. After those two national programs suck 98.4% of all the available air out of the room, the rotting relic of HBCU football gets its share, then Troy, USA, Jacksonville State, a couple of fine DII programs, the many people in Birmingham from other southern states who follow other SEC schools, and four people in Alabama that watch soccer each take their share. Leaving UAB with what it always is left with. A couple thousand people who would rather watch UAB play North Texas than turn on their TV and watch the SEC.

SamC, let's see, exactly how many "Power" programs have played in a smaller stadium, by about 10,000, in hard to get to Huntington, WV? Wouldn't be that hard to envision schools like Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, perhaps some other ACC schools would agree to play UAB in Birmingham, a major urban center and pretty good recruiting area. Schools like VA Tech and NC State, for example, have agreed in recent years to play at Middle Tenn., in front of those rabid, overflow "throngs" of fans that we all know are at EVERY Blue Raider game!! Heck, if Power schools like Pitt and Iowa State, IIRC, can play AT Toledo in their decrepit Glass Bowl, anything is possible!
 
SamC, let's see, exactly how many "Power" programs have played in a smaller stadium, by about 10,000, in hard to get to Huntington, WV? Wouldn't be that hard to envision schools like Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, perhaps some other ACC schools would agree to play UAB in Birmingham, a major urban center and pretty good recruiting area. Schools like VA Tech and NC State, for example, have agreed in recent years to play at Middle Tenn., in front of those rabid, overflow "throngs" of fans that we all know are at EVERY Blue Raider game!! Heck, if Power schools like Pitt and Iowa State, IIRC, can play AT Toledo in their decrepit Glass Bowl, anything is possible!
agreed. Plus as was mentioned above they have a bowl game there every year. Also remember, Birmingham in the past has been home to some of the NFL competing football leagues. That could happen again. Birmingham has upgraded itself during the time we have been in the league with them. When I started going there for work 20 years ago they were a dying rusting steel center. All that has gone now. They have become a banking and medical mecca. Many great neighborhoods and shopping areas there. I am there most every year for Marshall basketball and thoroughly enjoy my visits.
 
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