United Football League (UFL) Gears Up for 2025 Season: Key Highlights and Challenges

The United Football League (UFL) is preparing for its second season, set to kick off in March 2025. The Birmingham Stallions, who defeated the San Antonio Brahmas 25–0 in the 2024 UFL Championship Game, will return as the defending champions. This victory marked the Stallions’ third consecutive spring football championship, adding to their back-to-back championships in the rebooted USFL.

The 2025 season will feature eight teams, with the regular season running from March 28 to June 1, followed by the playoffs from June 7 to 14. Each team will play a total of 43 games, including 40 regular-season games and three postseason games. The league has secured significant television partnerships with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, Fox, and FS1.

Despite exceeding internal expectations for the 2024 season, the UFL still faces financial challenges. Fox Sports executive Eric Shanks noted that while the league lost money, it was ahead of the expected pace towards self-sustenance. However, there are concerns that the 2025 season might be the league’s last if it does not achieve greater commercial success.

Television viewership for the UFL saw a substantial increase, with an average of 832,000 viewers per game, a 34% rise from the previous season. The championship game on Fox drew the highest viewership with 1.596 million viewers. However, ticket sales declined, prompting the league to focus more on local ticket sales teams.

The UFL has also played a significant role in player development, with 77 players signing with the NFL for the 2024 preseason. Of these, 21 players were on NFL rosters by the opening week, including two players who made the 53-man roster for week 1. Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah praised the UFL for its contribution to player development.

In the offseason, the UFL hosted seven player showcases across the United States, and the Memphis Showboats selected Jason Bean as the top draft pick. The league also saw changes in player union representation, with the United Football Players Association (UFPA) being recognized by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) as the official union for UFL players.

Coaching changes are also anticipated, with several coaches nearing the end of their guaranteed contracts. Bob Stoops, the league’s longest-tenured coach, is noncommittal about his return for the 2025 season, while Anthony Becht has committed to a third season as the Battlehawks’ coach.