And so it’s time to start a new thread I figure, for half of the eight teams are new or have been moved to a new venue anyway, hence the United Football League 4.5.
Look at what Orlando is doing already, which is a good sign of EARLY action well before the start of the season for once for this league since its formation for the 2024 season in the fourth edition of leagues by this name!
Cross-linking here the connection between the NFL and Genius Sports, with the NFL the largest shareholder in the firm, as well as interests in the UFL by both:
For those catching up, here’s the summary of the new teams for the 2026 season, as announced on 7 October 2025:
Never too early to start the new season thread though it’s still many months away.
Hope they can hit the ground running unlike last off season. Even a small bump in attendance in smaller stadiums will have better optics.
Love the 4.5 indentifier though since 3 out of 8 teams moved, I would have called it 4.375 
Bwah ha ha ha, it is 4 teams, for the team in Arlington changed to Dallas AND changed their stadium, so I count them too!
This is a good promotion for marketing purposes.
ARLINGTON, TX— October 29, 2025 — The United Football League (UFL) is giving fans of the Columbus Aviators, Houston Gamblers, Louisville Kings and Orlando Storm the opportunity to help create their team’s identity by contributing ideas for their new mascot’s design and name.
Otherwise it’s akin to those fake naming surveys for new teams in any league, such as most recently for the NHL team in Utah.
There’s no real fan voting though, especially when fans make a terrible choice such as “Wasatch.” Nope, that’s not happening.
As these campaigns are being done across popular social media, I have no doubt the moderators will be quite busy too.
League is moving to a centralized front office for all teams. Regional scouts will be brought in.
So could the league really stack a team if they want? Put players from nearby colleges on the respective teams?
Big change either way. I’m certain lots of fan consultation occurred before this decision was made.
That is a reasonably good article by James Larsen, though he laid things out in a jumbled fashion.
He should have started with the organizational changes being made first, and then he should have gone on to explain why and how.
Final Thoughts
All of these changes are in line with the new vision of Mike Repole to regionalize the league. Repole’s belief is that by placing recognizable local players into their home markets, it can organically help grow those local fanbases. This regionalization aspect is still in development, and is expected to take a while longer to fully flesh out. As for players currently under contract, their futures with their respective teams remains to be seen.
As cited in bold text, I’m calling out this bullshit and I do think Larsen has it wrong in his focus in also perhaps buying that premise hook, line, and sinker.
After jumbling the order in the article, Larsen did explain the reorganization of the management structure down to coach well.
And indeed Repole does believe that local player BS, which I have cited above.
Repole should stay out of the players business - leave that to those with football experience. He’s well out of his lane here.
Nope, the new structure appears founded on already works in many NFL and CFL markets and in NCAA Pro Football in college towns - a sense of community to build a winning team, especially a pro football team and like in other sports.
Wherever the players come from any more very few fans care, and I have noticed any one of those who does care who is that hyper-local in focus in life even here in 2025 cannot be my friend, for this is not Friday Night lights high school ball, and it’s not 1975 and the like (i.e. those Flyers fans here still talking about the 1970’s like it was two months ago!).
It’s the local community that matters to fans and not the origin of the players for a sport that has been expanding in fan interest well beyond the US and Canada!
Couldn’t agree with you more. Putting the team together based on whether they played college in the area will limit the available talent on each team.
It’s almost like a ratio but maybe they won’t have a minimum number per team.
People will care if the team is good on the field and have a good impact in the community. Where they played college should only be an asset.
This is not a cost saving move? I call BS on that too
Yeah that claim was a bit much for me and I was going to pounce on it as well, especially when there is in fact an IMMEDIATE cost savings and now it’s a time of mass layoffs and in my opinion, recession since May in the US.
Larsen does later explain though that there is a plan to re-hire some regional managers and restructure from there, but I’m going to wait and see on any supposed plans whenever a business suddenly lays off a bunch of more highly-compensated management and immediately saves a lot of money.
For sure. When this league makes constant layoffs there’s a reason why they want to get a ahead of the story and calling it not cost savings measure.
And what? Hired less experienced people that have no vested interest in a specific team being successful? Rip apart impact players because they didn’t go to school nearby?
And people think the CFL is planning on merging with this outfit
I think they’ll have a fairly good idea looking at combine testing type of things if the player is fairly close to being UFL level of competition. Then after the draft, they’ll look at how the player competes in camp, then they can choose to cut or keep him after that. I don’t think it’ll be a minimum player thing either. The other benefit would be if the player lives in the city in the off-season. I think the league should make an allowance for that too so he can do community work.
This article by Greg Parks is a fine and reasonable article, especially as compared also to that pseudo-puff-piece written by James Larsen, as linked above from 4 November by @Mightygoose .
I agree with the concerns as cited by Greg Parks.
In contrast to the claim pandering that this is not a cost-cutting move (at all) by also James Larsen, this whole management reorganization sounds like a good ol’ cost-saving corporate power grab by the UFL, especially by Mike Repole.
I’m going to change now to a sceptical eye on Repole, despite what he’s accomplished so far. He’s all the more out of his lane now.
2. Some immediate concerns arise, though
All of that being said, there were two concerns that immediately came to my mind. The first is that by centralizing personnel decisions, the league is leaving itself open to accusations of favoritism from fans or others within the league.
Sure, head coaches will play a role in recruiting players but ultimately it seems like the league will have final decisions – including, as Mitchell’s post alluded to, final say over rosters themselves. That has the potential to expose the league to unnecessary criticism.
Conflict of entertainment interest much? But that reality goes on all the same in all other leagues, especially sometimes also with certain trades made between team owners, some of whom know each other well beyond their status as team owners and trade horses as a matter of course in big business.
The second issue that struck me right away is that this takes away the potential for teams to take on their own personalities. You knew what kind of players Von Hutchins was looking for as general manager of the D.C. Defenders. The same was true of the St. Louis Battlehawks with Dave Boller, to a certain extent.
Will the teams feel homogenized and lacking that personality now that everything will run through the league office? Not only that, but general managers took cues from the head coaches in terms of finding players that fit a specific scheme or fit in the locker room. Will those nuances be lost in this new way of roster building?
The aforementioned is a great point that goes with my forewarning of the problems that will come with Mike Repole meddling in just what players are taken by each team, for when there is no truly local management as well, not only can league compromise the quality of play of a team by meddling in decisions with regards to who is on the roster, but now there is no local player management to help build community any more!
And the argument of Repole along the lines of “just get some familiar local players playing there too” rings hollow.
3. It’s not about money…or is it?
In 2000, pitcher Mike Hampton signed the richest contract in baseball history at the time, an eight-year, $121 million pact with the Colorado Rockies. Hampton insisted his decision was not so much about the money but rather the attractiveness of the Colorado school system. His comment was ridiculed at the time, bringing to mind an old quote: “When they say it’s not about the money, it’s about the money.”
Say no more Greg Parks, except to rightfully call out James Larsen in the next paragraph, as did we yesterday. And it was no “side” effect though. This move was financial by design at the core.
So while Larsen noted that this was not a cost-cutting move from the league, it certainly had the side effect of cutting costs. Getting rid of eight general managers – and their full-year contracts – likely saved ownership somewhere in the neighborhood of high six figures per year.
The UFL is moving personnel decisions to the hands of people already with the league. They may hire regional scouts, but they won’t make as much as the GMs did (Larsen’s article suggests former GMs could end up being hired as scouts, though Memphis Showboats GM Jim Monos is already back with Tyler Dunne’s Go Long Substack with a new podcast).
Great questions here by Parks:
Why did the UFL believe that the way that every major sports entity runs its teams is not the best way for this league? What problems or inefficiencies had cropped up behind the scenes that this new structure solves? Because right now, it seems more like a solution in search of a problem.
But there is at least one silver lining in year-round contracts for coaches, right?
Well…
5. Head coaches now basically head coach/GMs
When the XFL returned in 2020, each head coach was also given the title of general manager. They did have directors of player personnel on each team that acted as de facto GM, however. This time around, even if the general manager title is not bestowed upon them, head coaches will basically be acting in that role for their team.
As was being explained in a CFL thread today by @disciplineandpunish quite well (thank you) , the job of one guy as the General Manager and the Head Coach in modern times, famously in the NFL in recent years by such as Bill Belichick during his time with the Patriots, is a bygone reality given also the nature of modern player management and scouting.
6. Brandon’s reassignment
Somewhat lost in all the talk about the personnel department changes is the transition of Russ Brandon from league President and CEO to leading the Doug Whaley/Russ Giglio team in player personnel. Though he’s still an executive, it feels a bit like a demotion for Brandon, which was all but fait accompli once Repole was brought in and started taking over a lot of Brandon’s duties, at least publicly.
Oh yeah, it’s a demotion. As I saw in September where I work, there was a company reorganization announcement, and they never use the word demotion, of course. But if it looks and feels like a demotion, it’s a demotion and not simply “a bit” of one.
7. What about Moose Johnston?
It was United Football Media that noted on Twitter/X that EVP of Football Operations Daryl “Moose” Johnston appears nowhere in either Larsen’s or Mitchell’s new hierarchy.
What about “Moose” Johnston of Fox Sports as well?
He’s gone from apparently any official role with the UFL.
Johnston was simply an employee of Fox Sports and Jerry Jones’ “yes-man” and his spy too.
Jones remains of course in background oversight over the matter of NFL interests in the UFL,
and more so than in his basic NFL interest in spring football leagues dating back to the XFL 1.0,
from the headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys via Arlington, Texas.
With Repole in the mix with an ownership stake in the UFL, there was no need any more for Johnston.
Superb Owl was asking me about @laxtreme56 and @CFL2STL earlier this week when I was on the Night Train with him at The Shady Nest like usual.
What do you know or think about the current plans? Are you optimistic or pessimistic? If so, where and where not?
For me,
Optimistic
The movement of four of the teams to new markets (one within the same media market), with smaller and more visually-appealing venues on the screen.
The overdue movement to ONE division for a merely eight-team league.
Key sponsorships
Pessimistic
There was an NFL workout last week for kickers, punters, and long snappers who had played in the UFL:
This week, there have been a couple UFL to NFL signings out of the specialists camp. Stallions K Harrison Mevis was picked up by the Rams, while Panthers LS Peter Bowden signed with the Chargerss.
On top of that news, Pro Football Newsroom has learned that John Carney – a veteran NFL kicker and specialists coach – is hosting a workout for 10+ NFL teams today. There are several UFL players at this tryout, which include:
- Battlehawks K Rodrigo Blankenship
- Defenders K Matt McCrane
- Brahmas K Tristan Vizcaino
- Former Stallions K Ramiz Ahmed
- Showboats P Matt Mengel
- Battlehawks P Sterling Hofrichter
- Battlehawks LS Alex Matheson
Well, I think it’s great to read somebody else stating the quiet part out loud, as I have been stating here and beyond all along ever since the USFL 2.0 in 2022 as the heavily-budgeted hub league it was before the merger with the XFL 3.5 in late 2023 to form the UFL 4.0, which played its first season in 2024.
What was previously an aspiring standalone pro league is increasingly resembling a temp agency for the NFL, prioritizing short-term player churn over long-term stability, fan loyalty, and competitive integrity. This overhaul, spearheaded by new co-owner Mike Repole, risks alienating players and fans, turning the UFL into a pit stop rather than a destination worth investing in emotionally or financially. If it’s not a league that is worthwhile for long-term presences from professional players, why would it be a worthwhile product for long-term fan interest?
The author Jonathan Clink does a fine job to express many criticisms of the recent reorganization by Mike Repole, for which I share many.
Check out his bio - Clink is from Winnipeg!
Jonathan Clink will work as UFL News Hub’s primary correspondent covering the Michigan Panthers for the 2024. He has written over 250 articles covering the Canadian Football League prior to joining UFL News Hub. Clink is originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba and currently lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has a background in several other sports as well having played soccer, basketball, and hockey competitively.
But a turnaround would be a very long time coming, and likely never, at this point as we go to the UFL 4.5 for 2026.
Every season is still a test season for the future of all this full-gridiron spring football, which it has been in every single year this decade.
A Path Forward: Reclaim the Pro League Identity
The UFL must reverse course and recommit teams to being standalone operations. Restore team autonomy by having teams have either a GM or a player personnel director. Embrace veterans as assets, not liabilities, as their presence fosters fan loyalties and team identity. Ditch territorial gimmicks for genuine marketing, leverage full-time coaches for community outreach as Repole advocates, but without meddling in football operations.
Well, it’s still early, but initially I am optimistic. This league needs big changes and that is what it’s getting. I’m anxious to see what they do to improve local marketing. Except for the 10-week season you wouldn’t know that the Battlehawks exist. Everyday I am literally reminded that we have baseball, hockey and soccer teams here because I see signs, branded gear, or hear advertisements for them as I travel around town. Not so for our football team. This is in sharp contrast to the XFL launch in 2020, where there was at least a 6-month marketing campaign prior to kickoff.
On the positive, the new UFL shop opening before Black Friday is good. Ultimately, what is the goal of selling merch—to increase brand awareness!
As for team relocations, Louisville and Columbus are great additions, but they should give up on Orlando, which is simply too hot during the UFL’s season. As for cities left behind: leaving Memphis is good. It’s just not a great sports market. I was surprised by San Antonio but was probably due to a lack of a suitable stadium. I understand cutting Michigan due to the cost of the stadium. I hope they can return when the USL stadium is finished. Michigan is just too big and too great of a sports market to walk away from.
The movement to smaller MLS/USL stadiums is both positive and negative. As we’ve seen in DC, they are great stadiums capacity-wise. They should look much better on TV with the size of crowds that the UFL draws. The negative is that now 5 of 8 teams are playing in stadiums where they will have the lowest priority for scheduling. As we know, MLS doesn’t release its schedule until late December, which means that the UFL schedule won’t drop until after that. IMO, this is an absolute nightmare for season ticket sales. It is the number one reason I had to give up mine. By the time the schedule was released, I already had numerous schedule conflicts. It just makes more sense to buy single game tickets.
The late season start is also a negative. Most folks have too many other things going on by late spring and it is simply too hot in many areas. The league is down to only one indoor stadium. I am hopeful that the late start is only for 2026 as the league may be trying to avoid conflicts with the Winter Olympics.
Specific to the Battlehawks: they are not selling season tickets in the upper bowl this season. This is a positive. Last season, the lower bowl was too empty. Also, many people were buying cheap seats upstairs and then simply moving to empty seats downstairs. As a season ticket member, I felt this devalued the price of my seats, which I paid a lot more for. Just move everybody downstairs and lower the ticket prices, which they did. Good move, IMO.
I’m not sure what to make of the elimination of GMs and will have to reserve judgement until details emerge regarding the geographic player preference or whatever they’re calling it.
I’m not particularly concerned with the removal of GM’s. Apparently they will still have 4 regional directors who will essentially take the part of GM’s. The league is also making head coaches a full-time, year-round position which should help with talent and scouting. I’m sure the bit of savings by cutting GM’s will be more than made up by increasing Bob Stoops salary by 25-50%.
Uh, nope, you give too much of a pass.
I want to see the money paid back after these immediate savings already at hand, along with better results via this supposed better organization in this power grab by Mike Repole.
Seeing is believing for me on this one, especially if Repole is going to push hard on that local player BS.
And here’s one of a few reports today, with the news anticlimactic, that Daryl “Moose” Johnston has been shit-canned.