Another step forward

Once the final horn sounded on Birmingham’s 27-20 victory over Memphis today at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, it marked the end of the regular season for both United States Football League teams.

That’s significant.

Until this evening, an outdoor pro grid team in Birmingham hadn’t made it through two consecutive seasons since the World League of American Football’s Birmingham Fire (1991-92).

Spring leagues tend to fall, and whenever one can make it to – and through – its sophomore year, well, that’s noteworthy.

And encouraging.

“I just think it speaks volumes that not only is there a lot of competition in the USFL, there’s a lot of equality in this league,” Birmingham coach Skip Holtz said after his team improved to 8-2. “There’s a lot of competitive nature in this league. But also, I would tell you that I think the USFL has proven that it’s here to stay.”

Maybe the football people behind the FOX-owned USFL have finally figured out that the best way to make this non-NFL thing work is to give it time to work. If nothing else, they’ve helped me morph from being cynical to hopeful – even optimistic.

And as you probably know, I’m not prone to optimism when it comes to such ventures. Having lived through all the leagues that have come and gone through the years, I just assumed the shelf life of this one would be short.

History tends to repeat itself, especially when it comes to this particular endeavor.

Perhaps it would make it until the end of its first season, I thought. But bad TV ratings and a mountain of debt would cause the network to shut it down just as it would any TV program that failed to find an audience.

And make no mistake – the USFL is as much a TV series as it is a sports organization.

But the circuit has found an audience – and apparently Nielsen families like what they’re seeing.

The presentation, whether on FOX, NBC or the league’s other outlets, is top-tier. Admittedly, I’m not as enamored with the drone and helmet-cams as some people, but I can certainly appreciate the tech.

And the entertainment is being provided by good football players, most who are trying to level up.

“These 50 young men that I am blessed to have the opportunity to coach every week … if they didn’t have this opportunity, what would they be doing now?” Holtz said. “And to know that out of this league, 70 guys are in (NFL) camp and getting another shot at their dream and what they want to do.

“Some guys are just here because they continue to love to play the game. They may not get another shot and they know that, but they’re here because they love the game. They love the camaraderie, and that’s what it’s all about. And I think that’s why it’ll work. I think it’ll work not only because I think it’s a proven product right now, but I think it’ll work because it’s here for the right reasons.”

There are those who look down their nose at “minor league” sports, but the USFL (and XFL) have shown there are hundreds of talented athletes not currently on NFL or CFL rosters.

And having dealt with several of them this year (mostly Stallions and New Orleans Breakers players due to the Birmingham hub) there are also some pretty good people in the league, too.

As much fun as I’ve had watching, the general consensus is that they’re having even more fun playing.

“I have never had more fun than I have this season,” Birmingham quarterback Alex McGough told me earlier this week. “This is the best year I’ve had of playing football. It’s just fun … it’s like, you go out there and you’re so loose and so confident because you’ve done it before, and the coach believes in you.

“All the guys are really good and we have such a great chemistry with each other that it makes it that much easier to go out there and play.”

While there’s an ebb and flow when it comes to TV viewership, for the most part the USFL continues to perform well enough to satisfy its stakeholders. In-game attendance leaves a lot to be desired (I’m ready for all the teams to have their own homes), but perhaps that’s a side effect of having a product that is so enjoyable to watch from the comfort of your home.

Ultimately, as long as the people paying the bills think it’s worth it, those bills will continue to be paid.

Speaking of being paid … that’s another major plus. To the best of my knowledge, the players, coaches, and staff members of the teams are not missing any paydays, nor are the USFL’s vendors.

Bounced checks, locked stadiums and broken dreams are an alternative football tradition, and it’s nice to see that tradition being ignored.

For the Stallions, there is at least one game left before the curtain falls on the 2023 campaign.

For the Showboats, their focus turns to next year.

And I firmly believe there will be a next year for the modern version of the USFL. In fact, Birmingham and Memphis are already taking season ticket deposits for 2024. I think those are safe investments, because I’m quite confident the league is returning. Honestly, I never thought I’d ever say that about a professional spring football league.