As news breaks of billionaire Mike Repole‘s stake in the United Football League. Repole told Sportico that Columbus will be a new UFL market in 2026. Including that between two to four UFL teams will be moving next season.
“Repole said this analysis is ongoing, and between two and four teams will relocate. The only thing settled at this point is that one team will be in Columbus, Repole said, and it will play at the former home of the MLS’ Columbus Crew, Historic Crew Stadium. The club moving to Columbus is still to be determined.”
Repole seems to be pivoting to a different approach than past spring football leadership by leaning into the relationship with MLS. Something current UFL CEO Russ Brandon wanted to avoid.
“He says the league is looking to work with other MLS owners and their stadiums. “He says the league is looking to work with other MLS owners and their stadiums. “I think that we complement MLS very well,” Repole said. “When you have 15,000 fans in a stadium that holds 60,000, it looks empty.” He thinks one of the reasons spring football failed in the past was the lack of modern venues that can seat 20,000 to 30,000 people, similar to ones MLS teams have built.”
His focus in coming into the UFL is the league’s business operations and he knows where things need to improve in its marketing.
“He gives the on-field product and broadcast high marks, but doesn’t sugarcoat how the first two years of the league went on the business side in several markets. “I don’t think the league did a good job working inside those markets,” he said in reference to marketing, sponsorships, sales and merchandise. St. Louis averaged roughly 30,000 fans per game this season, but every other club was below 15,000, including four under 10,000. He’s confident in his ability to improve those metrics.”
He goes on to refer to himself in the third person and talks about how he and his team build brands. He is filling a void that Redbird, FOX and ESPN was unable to do.
“That’s what Mike Repole and his team does,” Repole said. “We build brands. It’s city by city, venue by venue, team by team, fan by fan.”
Repole also drops big news on the UFL expansion plans for 2028 and beyond.
Repole says the 2026 UFL season will stay with eight teams, but he expects 10 teams by 2028 and 16 by 2032. “I would consider that a failure on my part,” he said if the league hasn’t expanded to 16 by then.
He goes on to say how he feels about the current ownership group and how they have all the peices of the puzzle together.
Repole says the current UFL owners were a major draw for him to invest in the league, with each offering different expertise, from operating franchises (RedBird) to broadcast might (ESPN, Fox) to global star power (Johnson, better known as “The Rock”). “I can confidently say this will be the group that makes spring football work,” Repole said. ”I built other brands with a less powerhouse team.”
Lots of interesting quotes from the new UFL co owner. We will have more on his background and plans for the league so stay tuned to UFL News Hub.
6 Comments
by Ken Granito
Happy to have Columbus as a franchise in the UFL. As far as Mike Repole, he has done a good job of making trustworthy, but upscale brands. Hoping he is able to help in that regard for the UFL. Real brands, not gimmicks. Hoping this will help make the UFL something to be proud of again. I recently wrote that I felt that if the league cleans up the game e.g. the way the league handled the Battlehawks this year, etc the league could bring in 10% of real football fans more than doubling their fanbase. To me that is the low hanging fruit. Make it real.
by GC
Living here in Central Ohio, and being a fan of Spring Football since the Ohio Glory took the field at Ohio Stadium, today was like Xmas! Being a lifelong horse racing fan, hearing that Mike Repole is now involved with the league is even better! If he is able to do 1/3 to this league that he has done with his horses, there is no doubt the UFL will be around for a long, long time to come.
My only concern with whatever team moves here, is that they have decided to play at the old Crew stadium. It seats about 27k for games. The new Crew stadium only seats about 20k. Another issue is that Old Crew is located at the State Fairgrounds, on the northern part of Columbus. There are no restaurants/bars, anything near it. It does offer tons of parking for tailgating and is right off the freeway. But the new Crew stadium is conveniently located downtown Columbus. Right by the NHL arena and minor league baseball park. There are tons of places to eat/drink prior to the game, within walking distance of the stadium. Parking can be tricky though… That is the only negative.
I really wish they would of worked out a better deal with the Haslam’s (Crew and CLV Browns owners) to play at the new stadium downtown.
Either way, I officially rescinded my 5 year diehard fandom of the Birmingham Stallions today, for the new Ohio/Columbus ???… I just hope that our fans treat visiting teams and fans, the way that we were welcomed on our trips to Birmingham to watch the Stallions.
Maybe now I won’t get weird looks at the bars when I ask them to turn on the UFL games, lol
by JLW_51
Finally, someone saying and thinking hooking up with MLS is a good thing! Why Brandon was against that is beyond me. It just makes sense. Why have teams playing in big stadiums when they can fill one section? While I don’t want to hear him talk in the third person, I love the excitement and love that he wants to work with the ownership group. Congrats to Columbus!
by Jasper
The league’s trending in the right direction, IMO. Leaning into how spring professional football really is a different game (it’s only played on natural grass, a leader in developing warm weather uniforms and equipment, a creator of new rules the NFL “borrows”…) could be a huge strength and not a weakness.
by He Hate Me
The UFL needs to ditch the silly XFL/NFL adopted kickoff format and return to the traditional kickoff format. It’s so boring to watch.
by g
Looking forward to Houston Roughnecks being in Ohio