The USFL hoped to celebrate its revival with a bang this weekend. Bad weather instead delayed Sunday’s tripleheader in Birmingham, Alabama.
The day’s opening contest between the Houston Gamblers and Michigan Panthers didn’t start as scheduled at noon ET. As a result, the second matchup showcasing the Philadelphia Stars and New Orleans Breakers began an hour later than planned at 5 p.m.
Those conditions certainly don’t appear to have helped the USFL’s cause.
As demonstrated by Awful Announcing’s Ben Koo, Protective Stadium was mostly empty to watch the Stars and Breakers. USA’s broadcast didn’t try to conceal the many vacated seats.
Thoroughly love NBC Sports and the USFL making no effort to hide the fact that absolutely nobody is at this game. pic.twitter.com/hVP2ux8RkX
— Ben Koo (@bkoo) April 17, 2022
It’s hardly shocking that fans weren’t willing to brave bad weather to watch a new football league in April, especially on a holiday. While it’s not an ideal beginning, it’s not necessarily an indictment of the USFL’s long-term outlook. They’ll have to closely monitor TV ratings for the opening weekend.
Saturday’s inaugural contest featuring the New Jersey Generals and Birmingham Stallions boasted a far better crowd, but attendance has waned without any hometown teams on display Sunday. That could present a significant drawback to playing in neutral locations as a cost-saving measure.
The Stars kicked a field goal early in the third quarter to gain a 10-9 lead over the Breakers.
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