{"id":177528,"date":"2025-04-08T15:51:39","date_gmt":"2025-04-08T15:51:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/alabama\/does-birmingham-deserve-a-major-league-sports-team\/"},"modified":"2025-04-08T15:51:39","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T15:51:39","slug":"does-birmingham-deserve-a-major-league-sports-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=177528","title":{"rendered":"Does Birmingham deserve a major league sports team?"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Jay<\/a>
Jay Taylor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Jay Taylor<\/em><\/p>\n

I promised David that I\u2019d write a column demonstrating why Birmingham deserves a major league professional sports team.<\/p>\n

But do I really believe that?<\/p>\n

The numbers seem to back it up. We have nearly 1.4 million people in our combined statistical area. That\u2019s more than major league cities New Orleans and Buffalo, New York \u2013 and tied with Memphis.<\/p>\n

Of course, the numbers don\u2019t matter if you don\u2019t believe them.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s another number: With 5.1 million residents, Alabama\u2019s population is higher than Louisiana, Oregon, Oklahoma, Utah, and Nevada.<\/p>\n

That matters because sports teams have statewide appeal. Ask the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Golden State Warriors, Carolina Panthers, Texas Rangers, Utah Jazz, Colorado Rockies, and many others why they identify with their state or region.<\/p>\n

Do the Tide and Tigers represent only the cities of Tuscaloosa and Auburn or their student bodies and alumni? Nope. You live within our state\u2019s borders and you\u2019re asked to pick a side.<\/p>\n

Bear Bryant understood this. In 1981 he spoke out against the NFL in Birmingham precisely because he didn\u2019t want to lose market share. Thing is, Alabama had\u00a03.9 million<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0people at the time. We\u2019re a different state in 2025.<\/p>\n

Read about it in this well-written four-part\u00a0series<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>by Creg Stephenson detailing our near-misses with the NFL.<\/p>\n

UAB Athletics<\/strong><\/p>\n

Spoiler alert: Toward the end there\u2019s a suggestion that some believe the Blazers are the best we can do \u2013 long term.<\/p>\n

Sadly, these days, the UAB athletic department administration is abysmal and much of the campus doesn\u2019t care.<\/p>\n

For instance, when basketball coach and UAB alumnus Andy Kennedy was reportedly courted by West Virginia, Athletic Director\u00a0Mark Ingram said<\/a><\/strong><\/span>: \u201cWest Virginia should want Andy Kennedy. As should many other people. I think Andy\u2019s great, that\u2019s why we hired him. It makes sense to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also said this: \u201cEverybody we hire, we do so because we think they\u2019re going to be successful when they have other opportunities because of the result of their success.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s clearly not trying to bring championships to the southside. He\u2019s helping coaches build resumes. As a fan, that\u2019s not what I want to see. It sickens me.<\/p>\n

Not only that, but some UAB Medicine bumper stickers read: \u201cOur Nationally-Ranked Teams Wear Scrubs.\u201d<\/p>\n

This attempted crack at the Tide to boast of their achievements is more of a disrespect to hard-working Blazer athletes if you ask me.<\/p>\n

In my youth, my father took me to basketball games when Gene Bartow was the coach. Now, I take my kids to Blazer games. It breaks my heart to see this program treated so poorly.<\/p>\n

Winning Attitude<\/strong><\/p>\n

The problem for UAB, the obstacle for getting major league sports, and the hurdle for many other aspirations here, is too many people believe we aren\u2019t good enough. We can\u2019t do it.<\/p>\n

How many people laughed the moment they read the headline for this column? How many people made up their mind before reading a word?<\/p>\n

The thing is, we\u2019ve already hosted and continue to host major league sports. Did you know the Birmingham Bulls moved here from Toronto? They were called the Toros and they were originally in the World Hockey Association. Half of the WHA teams were eventually incorporated into the NHL. The Bulls were not.<\/p>\n

Professionally, MLB and the PGA have played here. NASCAR and Indy remain economic windfalls every year.<\/p>\n

Not to mention, Alabama and Auburn grab national headlines, crowds, and TV ratings. Whether you consider them pro or not, they\u2019re definitely major league.<\/p>\n

Back to the Drawing Board<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many of those with the money and influence to land a major league team may have given up. I hope someone out there will reconsider.<\/p>\n

My brother has often questioned why we celebrate having a G League affiliate for an NBA team in a market smaller than us. That\u2019s right, we\u2019re bigger than New Orleans, yet they have the Pelicans and we have the Squadron.<\/p>\n

The Pelicans are near the bottom in NBA attendance as well. Maybe the Squadron and Pelicans should switch cities for a minute and see what happens?<\/p>\n

Like I\u2019ve already demonstrated, teams have statewide appeal. While the Stallions ranked fourth in 2024 attendance in the United Football League, Birmingham\u2019s UFL\u00a0TV ratings<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0were second. Mobile was ranked fourth. And you can bet who they cheered for.<\/p>\n

To lure major league sports, let\u2019s talk to Mobile, Huntsville, and Montgomery about working together for a centrally-located team.<\/p>\n

Birmingham doesn\u2019t deserve a major league professional team. Alabama does \u2013 in Birmingham.<\/p>\n

Jay Taylor is a freelance writer based in Birmingham, Alabama. He has more than\u00a030\u00a0years of experience working in advertising, journalism, marketing, and business. He renovated Kessler Lofts with his family and cofounded the startup\u00a0<\/span><\/i>TabX<\/a><\/u><\/i><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>in Birmingham. Taylor previously served as president of the Central City Neighborhood Association. Today, he lives in Homewood with his wife and two children.<\/i><\/p>\n

David Sher is the founder and publisher of\u00a0ComebackTown<\/strong><\/a><\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0He\u2019s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).<\/em><\/p>\n

Click here to sign up for our newsletter.<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. dsher@comebacktown.con<\/p>\n

(Visited 64 times, 64 visits today)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jay Taylor By Jay Taylor I promised David that I\u2019d write a column demonstrating why Birmingham deserves a major league professional sports team. But do I really believe that? The numbers seem to back it up. We have nearly 1.4 million people in our combined statistical area. 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