The Business Impact of Ending UAB Football

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2014/12/uabfootballadmin.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:300;s:4:"file";s:28:"2014/12/uabfootballadmin.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:5:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"uabfootballadmin-336x168.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:168;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"uabfootballadmin-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:26:"uabfootballadmin-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"uabfootballadmin-470x235.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:235;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"uabfootballadmin-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:119668;s:14:"optimized_size";i:77639;s:7:"percent";d:35.119999999999997;}s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:56:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/12/uabfootballadmin.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:119668;s:14:"optimized_size";i:77639;s:7:"percent";d:35.119999999999997;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:98:"Unknown error occurred (100 - Operation timed out after 45000 milliseconds with 0 bytes received) ";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1666552449 
1417564800
Protesters crowd the entrance to the UAB administration building Tuesday waiting for official word that the university will cut its football program.

While many UAB students, staff and alumni are upset over the decision to end the university’s football program, the team’s influence isn’t confined to campus. The football program has an economic impact. Birmingham Business Journal managing editor Ty West tells WBHM’s Andrew Yeager about what cutting UAB football means for the wider community.

Who Gets Hurt?

West says the hospitality industry will see the most impact, especially on game day. Birmingham hotels and restaurants benefit from that significant influx of people.

“UAB football obviously isn’t Alabama or Auburn, it doesn’t draw the thousands of visitors from the road teams that come in,” says West. “But it does draw hundreds, if not a few thousand, depending on who the opponent is.”

UAB alone projects that the school spent $1.3 million in the city each game day.

The university will also lose some money on licensing fees from Blazer football merchandise. Last year, UAB pulled in between $3 and 4 million in fees.

What Worries Birmingham’s Business Leaders?

UAB is considered a cornerstone of Birmingham’s city center rebirth. With the football program off the table, business leaders are concerned. The business community has long supported growth for UAB’s team.

West recalls a few years back, when a proposal was floated for an on campus stadium.

“You saw the business community step up and agree to buy all the skyboxes in that stadium,” says West. “I think they realized that it was a big opportunity to have that on campus stadium. That maybe it could do for that area around the UAB campus what Regions Field and Rail Road Park have done for that area a few blocks to the north.”

Does This Sink The Dome?

Though the on campus stadium proposal died, local business leaders saw new hope in the pending proposal for a new “dome” multipurpose center at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex.

“They viewed UAB football as an integral part of that,” West says. He thinks Birmingham business leaders believed “UAB football could have been a pretty big catalyst in that area.”

While West doesn’t think the loss of UAB football is enough to put out the dome facility and its supporters, it was a factor. According to West, when the Birmingham Business Journal talked with Mayor Bell’s office about the potential dome project, UAB football definitely came up.

“That’s a regular tenant, even though it is only a few times a year. It could have drawn several thousand Birmingham people down there and really help make that Uptown district (the new entertainment district at the BJCC) work,” says West. He also points out a stadium closer to campus could also have drawn more students to games.

West believes the business community views it as “a missed opportunity” for Uptown and the BJCC, dome or not.

Why Was The Business Community Silent?

As rumors spread that UAB might cut football over these last few weeks, people spoke out — voices from around UAB, some elected officials — but the business community seemed relatively muted. That doesn’t surprise West.

He explains that Birmingham’s business community has “a tendency sometimes not to be as candid as you’d like to be out in the open. People are often afraid to go out on a limb on contentious issues,” says West.

But West and Birmingham Business Journal did hear outcry from one type of business owner: owners of small business, “particularly the up-and-coming tech community,” says West.

They saw UAB dropping football as a bad decision for business. “They were very passionate about this issue, and I think that’s because they represent the new Birmingham, the young Birmingham that is really driving this downtown revitalization,” West says.

 

Democrats invited Republicans to a town hall. Here’s what happened

Imagine getting an invitation to a town hall from someone across the political aisle. That was the idea behind a recent event sponsored by the Calhoun County Democratic Committee. They asked their members to invite Republican friends in an effort to bridge the divide. 

Anglican Church Archbishop accused of sexual misconduct

Archbishop Steve Wood, who heads the Anglican Church of North America, faces of sexual harassment allegations. This marks the latest in a string of crises to rock the small, conservative denomination.

NBA coach Chauncey Billups, player Terry Rozier arrested in FBI gambling probe

Rozier, a guard for the Miami Heat, was investigated by the NBA in 2023 in connection with suspicious gambling activity on a game that he exited early.

Its the deadliest year for ICE in decades. As detentions rise, the trend may continue

There have been at least 20 deaths in ICE custody in 2025, the deadliest year since 2004. As the agency is ramping up hiring and increasing detentions, concerns remain about how to stop the trend.

Families describe deaths, violence in Alabama prisons as they push for change

Family members of people incarcerated in Alabama prisons packed a Wednesday meeting of the Legislative Prison Committee and then held a rally on the steps of the Capitol.

Vance slams Israel’s parliament vote on West Bank annexation, calling it an ‘insult’

Vice President Vance's scathing remark came as he wrapped up an Israel trip, as the Trump administration attempts to keep up momentum on the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

More Economy Coverage