The St. Louis Battlehawks drew 31,000 fans to Saturday's season opener, but new UFL co-owner Mike Repole made it clear the league championship won't be heading back to The Dome for the third straight year.
Repole, the billionaire businessman behind many of the UFL's recent franchise moves and venue changes, told reporters after the Battlehawks' 16-10 win over DC that he wants the championship game to "move around." The remarks effectively end St. Louis's two-year run as the league's title game host city.
The Championship Should Travel
"I think it's got to move around, it can't just be a central location," Repole said, according to Spectrum Local News. "It'll be in June, weather's great everywhere so we'll make a decision but you know what, I hope it's in another location, but I hope the St. Louis Battlehawks are in that game."
The comment came after Repole witnessed firsthand what makes St. Louis special for spring football — a crowd that dwarfed every other UFL venue this weekend. The Battlehawks' 31,000 fans more than doubled the next-highest attendance of 14,034 at the Louisville Kings opener.
History of Championship Locations
The UFL championship format represents a break from its predecessor leagues' approaches. The original XFL (2001) played its championship in Los Angeles, drawing 24,153 fans. The league's 2020 reboot got cut short before reaching a title game due to COVID-19.
The USFL took a neutral-site approach during its recent run, hosting both 2022 and 2023 championships at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Neither game drew impressive crowds — the 2022 title game pulled just 17,500 fans, while 2023's championship managed 19,423.
St. Louis has hosted the last two UFL championships since the 2024 merger, but both games lacked the electric atmosphere typical of Battlehawks home contests. The 2024 championship saw Birmingham beat San Antonio 25-0, while DC defeated Michigan 58-34 in 2025's title game.
The Battlehawks Attendance Factor
Repole acknowledged the challenge of not having the Battlehawks in their own championship game. St. Louis has led spring football attendance dating back to 2020, consistently packing The Dome regardless of opponent or weather.
"This is America's team of the UFL, the St. Louis Battlehawks," Repole said. "I need to have 31 markets like the St. Louis Battlehawks."
The Battlehawks have been competitive but haven't reached a championship game yet, meaning the title contests have missed out on St. Louis's passionate fanbase actually having skin in the game.
Looking Ahead
With the championship likely moving to a rotating format, cities like DC, and potentially new markets Orlando or Louisville could be in the mix. The decision will test whether the UFL can generate championship-game energy without St. Louis's guaranteed sellout crowd. The rumor we have heard at UFL News Hub was DC at Audi Field. Championship game is scheduled for Saturday June 13th at 3:00 PM ET on ABC.