Awesome news today, I think President Ray Watts and the UAB administration finally had enough from the Free UAB movement. Because today, Ray Watts announced that the football team, along with women’s rifle and bowling, will return in the 2016-2017 academic year. Yeah, I can live without UAB football for one year, but it will not be an off year for Coach Bill Clark, because he and his staff will have the huge job of rebuilding this football team from scratch.
The Free UAB movement began last December when Ray Watts announced that the football team, bowling, and rifle teams would be cut. As soon as the announcement was made, people began to question the decision. Many suspected that the Alabama Board of Trustees made the decision to protect the athletics over on the Tuscaloosa campus. Also, a report made showing why football had to be cut because the profits were not there proved to be false, and it fanned the Free UAB flames.
Then, March Madness really brought the Free UAB movement into the national spotlight when the UAB basketball team pulled off a massive upset! The national sports media was reporting about how this decision to cut football, bowling, and rifle was filled with corruption, and it put a massive black eye on the city of Birmingham and on UAB. And then the people wanted to back football, bowling, and rifle with their own money, and it eventually became to the point where Ray Watts could not ignore the pleas from the people.
BIG congrats to @UAB_Football @UAB_Bowling @UAB_Rifle! It's great to have you back!! http://t.co/MTVrgvi8Am #FreeUAB
— Good People Brewing (@GPBrewing) June 1, 2015
So now, football, bowling, and rifle will be coming back, and UAB has plans to stay in Conference USA. Remember this; there will be a very long road ahead to re-build these sports. Bowling and rifle will be easier to rebuild, but for football, it will be a huge road of rebuilding ahead. If there is any good news, Bill Clark will have an entire season this Fall to go out and recruit people from high schools and colleges to be on the 2016 UAB football team. Bill Clark will not have to worry about getting ready for games this Fall, so he and his staff will have more time to recruit.
Another problem will be the place UAB football plays, Legion Field. Eventually that stadium is going to crumble for good. And UAB will need a new stadium, it does not need to be as big as Jordan Hare or Bryant Denny, but it needs to be a decent size. It would be perfect if the stadium was in the downtown area near or on the UAB campus. If Regions Field can be built and be a gamechanger for the Birmingham Barons, then I know that a new UAB football stadium can be a gamechanger for college football.
Watts: UAB has had productive discussions with the city about a new venue for #UABfootball – http://t.co/RXcvbvrMSF pic.twitter.com/ioMJSbpZSn
— Birmingham Business Journal (@bhambizjrnl) June 2, 2015
But, the reason why UAB football, bowling, and rifle are coming back is because of you, the UAB fanbase! You continued to protest, you continued to post on social media, and you continued to pressure UAB and the administration to make things right! Without the Free UAB movement, this news to bring back football, bowling, and rifle would not happen! Thank you for putting the pressure on to make sure this wrong decision was overturned and sacked. Now, we can make sure that UAB has the best football, bowling and rifle teams in college athletics!
Bill Clark officially back to work as Coach of #UAB Football. His statement pic.twitter.com/kQ7Ap5lcsO
— Jim Dunaway (@jimdunaway) June 1, 2015
No doubt about it, in 2016 when UAB football plays their first home game, the stadium will be packed! And for the players playing on that team, get ready for some massive fan support! You will have the massive energy by the home crowd behind you to get you pumped up! Get ready Birmingham, UAB football is back!
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Interesting move. Does UAB football make enough money to justify coming back?
I wonder if UAB is athletically profitable?https://belowaveragewriter.wordpress.com/2015/05/24/should-college-athletes-be-paid/
Thanks for the comments! I have read your article, and I do think college athletes should be paid a little. As for UAB, the first reason why football was axed is because of a bogus report and power structure at UA. Thankfully, a lot of people have backed UAB football by becoming donors. The reason why this whole UAB thing made national news is because Alabama is sadly known as a very corrupt state in government. One the backroom and corrupt deals were discovered by the media, the Free UAB movement exploded.
As for profitability, UAB blocked donors from making contributions, and that is why the bogus report showed that UAB football was losing money.
I think this whole story has breathed a lot of new life in UAB athletics.