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USFL News: USFL Updates, Where will they play in 2023, New investors, USFL Attendance, USFL TV Ratings?

USFL Overtime Shootout
USFL News: USFL Updates, Where will they play in 2023, New investors, USFL Attendance, USFL TV Ratings?

What is going on with the USFL? In their first year it was pretty successful in my opinion. Several players were truly given a great opportunity to show their value in the sport.

We are learning that we are told the USFL will return in 2023 and it will not be played only in Birmingham!

The USFL played all 40 of its 2022 regular-season games in Birmingham before shifting to Canton, Ohio, for the playoffs, to make way for the World Games.

We are told in 2023, the leagues eight teams will be based in two or four cities. The USFL has not decided what city those will be next season, but the league office will remain in Birmingham.

Fox Sports owns the USFL, but they are even looking for investors to help grow the league.

The New York Post recently reported that Fox has hired Allen & Co. to find potential investors in the four-letter spring league. Fox hopes to raise $150 million to $200 million by selling partial equity in the USFL.

This could help the USFL out big time because the money is needed to run a major league, especially if they are going to continue to branch out in year two.

Fox is pumped with the TV ratings. The league averaged over 1 million viewers for it’s national games on FOX and NBC.

“In terms of quality of play and watchability, the league has exceeded expectations, in my opinion. Points per game, length of game and margin of victory are all in line with what fans expect from professional football. Most of our games are one-possession games. That’s helped us deliver the viewership we need to be successful.

”Fox Sports EVP Michael Mulvihill on the first USFL season, TV ratings

The final week of numbers for TV ratings was rough, but overall it was still a great product. Here were the numbers from week 10.

  • Saturday afternoon (USA) – New Jersey Generals vs Philadelphia Stars – 290,000 avg. viewers
  • Saturday evening (FOX) – Birmingham Stallions vs Tampa Bay Bandits – 649,000 avg. viewers
  • Sunday noon (USA) – Michigan Panthers vs Pittsburgh Maulers – 282,000 avg. viewers
  • Sunday evening (FS1) – New Orleans Breakers vs Houston Gamblers – 181,000 avg. viewers

The Attendance was not great, but did average anywhere from 12 to 15 thousand per game in Birmingham. With the games being spread out to several cities, this could increase, and I have a feeling they will crush it this coming year. They do a great job of advertising. The talent is there. They found some great players in the 2022 Hula Bowl game, and I would not be shocked if they continue to be moving in the right direction. I am a fan. I like the idea and I have a feeling they will continue to move in the right direction.

Damond Talbot

NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com

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