UAB fires AD and is planning to shut down UAB football program

I find it that so many that are mad about shutting the program down are auburn fans. I just asked one that has been going on and on about this and how the University of Alabama did UAB wrong, How many games did she go to this year? Last year? The year before? How much money had she donated to UAB this year or any other year? Silence was the answer. I then told her if she wants a fifth major football program in Alabama why don't she push for Auburn to fund a football program at AUM? again silence.

RTR91 said:

Easy. Get the Birmingham Bowl to take them. It'll be a good chance for all those fans to see them play one last time.

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I don't see the Birmingham Bowl--especially without title sponsorship money--taking UAB rather than another "interested" fan base that would fill hotels and restaurants and probably sell more tickets.

I don't know what the C-USA bowl lineup is, but if I ran one of those bowls, I'd snatch them up if it was fairly close to Birmingham. First, it would be a big media story and people might tune it just for the novelty of it. Also, I think UAB would send a lot of fans since it would be their last ever game.

CB4 said:

I
All of that went out the window years ago when Bartow decided to get in a ****ing match with Wimp and the University. Bartow didn't realize how many fans like myself that supported his program from Birmingham area he had alienated with his antics.

The only way UAB football would have ever been able to succeed here would have been from the support of Birmingham football fans, (not UAB fans) that grew up with loyalties or ties to both schools in some way, but by in large, simply loved football. And all that got screwed years before the program ever got up and going.

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Outstanding!

nickel42 said:

I don't think it's as much about the amount of $$$ as it is the ROI. As I understand it, the football program just isn't in the black. Especially looking forward at the money they'd have to spend on Legion Field upkeep.

At the end of the day, I really am sorry for the players/coaches, but I think this is overdue. If people wanted it to stay, they could've showed up and prevented scenes like this from becoming the norm:

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This is so sad!

If the University of Alabama Crimson Tide was supported this effectively, I'd just say, "Shut it down!"

I wonder how many Police officers were serving as security for games like this? How many ticket takers? Did they open ALL the restrooms for the paying customers? How many workers were needed to clean up the restrooms and for that matter, clean up the entire stadium?

How many bottles of water or soda water were sold? How many hot dogs were sold? How many concession stands were open? How many UAB Blazer T-shirts were sold pre-game?

Would ESPN Game Day ever want to show up at the OLD Lady for a game with this kind of CROWD?

I know I saw a lot more people than this at a high school Dental Clinic game in the mid-1960's.

You know there are some schools that don't have football teams that have OUTSTANDING Basketball teams. Maybe they can become one of those.

Also, are there more people in the stands or on the playing field.

Titans&Tide said:

What I don't get is that if it's a money decision, why did they say that they're going to leave the athletic budget the same and reallocate the funds, apparently subsidized, in place to be used by other "priority" sports. I mean, if the reason for eliminating football is because it's hemorrhaging money, why isn't there a budget cut for the athletic department happening along with eliminating the program?

I'm not saying UAB needs a football program, I just wonder about the authenticity of their reasoning.

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Well, first... a big issue is future expenses required just to keep the football program going. But, their football program was a black hole. I posted multiple times about how much money was being wasted, basically they were tossing the money in the garbage. A football team isn't cheap, you have all those players on scholarship, all those coaches, you have to transport them around, etc... it leads to a lot of expenses and if you don't have paying fans, it's just wasted money.

If you take that same amount of money, and disperse it throughout other sports, the odds are you either go much, much further or you get a better return on your investment. For instance, keeping up a basketball program is so much cheaper but you still have an opportunity for revenue as well.

KrAzY3 said:

Well, first... a big issue is future expenses required just to keep the football program going. But, their football program was a black hole. I posted multiple times about how much money was being wasted, basically they were tossing the money in the garbage. A football team isn't cheap, you have all those players on scholarship, all those coaches, you have to transport them around, etc... it leads to a lot of expenses and if you don't have paying fans, it's just wasted money.

If you take that same amount of money, and disperse it throughout other sports, the odds are you either go much, much further or you get a better return on your investment. For instance, keeping up a basketball program is so much cheaper but you still have an opportunity for revenue as well.

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If they had a Yard or Garage Sale, they could make a few $dollars$ selling football jerseys, jockey straps, footballs, and other athletic equipment at a bargain basement price to ALL those UAB football fans.

There's a video of President Watts talking to the players. I won't post due to the language. Even for a guy that isn't complaining about the decision, I struggled to watch the video. The players clearly bought into the program, and I hate they are having to deal with everything.

Al A Bama said:

If they had a Yard or Garage Sale, they could make a few $dollars$ selling football jerseys, jockey straps, footballs, and other athletic equipment at a bargain basement price to ALL those UAB football fans.

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With all due respect, the program at UAB is no more. We don't really have a reason to be jerks about it now with classless comments like this.

Titans&Tide said:

With all due respect, the program at UAB is no more. We don't really have a reason to be jerks about it now with classless comments like this.

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99.9% of Bama alumni/fans couldn't care less about UAB and their football team, but after hearing the hatred spewed toward The University of Alabama by their alumni/fans they deserve what they get. If they wanted to save the football program, they went about it entirely wrong.

Hooks4bama said:

They axed the women's rifle team too. Why in the world would you have that anyway?!

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Sexist.

Hooks4bama said:

They axed the women's rifle team too. Why in the world would you have that anyway?!

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Title IX

RTR91 said:

Easy. Get the Birmingham Bowl to take them. It'll be a good chance for all those fans to see them play one last time.

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I think the bowl here in Bham is still locked into taking teams from certain conferences, maybe the SEC and ACC. I know there were conference afilliations at one time, but it may have changed.

Catfish said:

I think the bowl here in Bham is still locked into taking teams from certain conferences, maybe the SEC and ACC. I know there were conference afilliations at one time, but it may have changed.

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So the one school that is actually in Birmingham isn't allowed to play their very last game in the one bowl game that is hosted by the city of Birmingham and played on the very field on which played their regular season 'home' games. That's rich!

Bamaro said:

Any UAB players that we might be interested in?

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I would take Jordan Howard in a heartbeat.

Others, for depth, Jake Ganus (LB), Josh Magee (WR), Gerald Everett (TE), and they have several young OL and many JUCOs that will be going into their senior year. But Howard is good enough to play at Bama, even in a crowded backfield.

nickel42 said:

I don't think it's as much about the amount of $$$ as it is the ROI. As I understand it, the football program just isn't in the black. Especially looking forward at the money they'd have to spend on Legion Field upkeep.

At the end of the day, I really am sorry for the players/coaches, but I think this is overdue. If people wanted it to stay, they could've showed up and prevented scenes like this from becoming the norm:

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Yeah, this is why that thing is shutting down. All of this righteous indignation that has been spewed over this decision is disingenuous at best. If all of these people truly cared, then why was this the usual picture of a UAB game day?

I get that the players and coaches are upset and I feel for them, but otherwise no one should be upset.

TideEngineer08 said:

Yeah, this is why that thing is shutting down. All of this righteous indignation that has been spewed over this decision is disingenuous at best. If all of these people truly cared, then why was this the usual picture of a UAB game day?

I get that the players and coaches are upset and I feel for them, but otherwise no one should be upset.

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Agreed. Unfortunate for the players, coaches, fans and others it affects. They just couldn't get much fan support from the folks in Birmingham.

IBUY said:

Agreed. Unfortunate for the players, coaches, fans and others it affects. They just couldn't get much fan support from the folks in Birmingham.

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Between us and the barn, UAB support was caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place

Hooks4bama said:

They axed the women's rifle team too. Why in the world would you have that anyway?!

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Title IX, by getting rid of the football program they no longer needed fringe women sports to satisfy Title IX.