As the UFL regular season draws to a close, once again, the games provided plenty of thrills. On Saturday afternoon, the underdog 1-7 Arlington Renegades prevailed over the playoff-bound St. Louis Battlehawks with a decisive 36-22 win, while the San Antonio Brahmas upset the seemingly unstoppable Birmingham Stallions 18-9.
On Sunday afternoon, in the scorching Texas heat, the Michigan Panthers mounted an impressive fourth-quarter come-from-behind rally to defeat the Houston Roughnecks by a score of 26-22. Did the fans catch all the excitement this week or did they miss out? The UFL week 9 ratings are in and according to Mike Mitchell,@ByMikeMitchell this week's numbers are good news for the league and the television broadcast networks. In a crowded sports weekend filled with premiere horse racing, Major League Baseball, NBA playoffs, and NASCAR, fans showed up to cheer on their favorite UFL teams.
Saturday 5/25
St. Louis Battlehawks at Arlington Renegades: Averaged 886,000 on ABC
It took almost the entire season but the Arlington Renegades finally put it all together to prove this team is far better than their 1-7 record. In a game with little to gain, Luis Perez and the Renegades claimed a 36-22 victory over the playoff-bound St. Louis Battlehawks.
Attendance: 8,545
San Antonio Brahmas v. Birmingham Stallions: Averaged 1,072,000 viewers on ABC
On Saturday afternoon, the San Antonio Brahmas defense accomplished what every other team in the league failed to do thus far; shut down Adrian Martinez and the Birmingham offense, holding them to a mere 9 points to secure the victory 18-9.
Attendance: 11,839
Sunday 5/26
Michigan Panthers v. Houston Roughnecks: Averaged 800,000 viewers on FOX. (Regional coverage split). The telecast peaked between 5:30 -5:45 pm with 1,122,000 viewers.
After a rough start, the Michigan Panthers came storming back in the fourth quarter to snatch a 26-22 victory from the Houston Roughnecks. Quarterback Bryce Perkins who took over from starter Danny Etling, sparked the comeback, passing 12/15 for 121 yards with one passing touchdown, two rushing touchdowns on 79 yards, and one interception.
Attendance: 6,527
D.C. Defenders v. Memphis Showboats: Averaged 800,000 viewers on FOX (Regional coverage split)
Jordan Ta'amu and the D.C. Defenders put together an impressive showing as they defeated the 1-8 Memphis Showboats 36-21. The Defenders controlled the time of possession and dominated the Showboats in every offensive category. Ta'amu finished with 20/24 for 237 yards with two passing touchdowns and another rushing touchdown.
Attendance: 6,387
The Attendance Issue
Despite the encouraging TV ratings, the week 9 attendance figures were dismal. Last week’s attendance figures ranked a healthy 63,413, but this week’s total of 33,298 reflected a drop of more than 30,000 fans. While three of the four cities hosting had already been eliminated from the playoffs, the league has an ongoing issue of in-person attendance at these locations, and putting “butts in the seats” remains a challenge. Although the league has tried everything from special themed game days paying tribute to first responders and service men and women in the “Hats Off to the Heroes” and bobblehead giveaways, what else could the UFL be doing to attract fans to the games?
This weekend's games will close out the regular season. In an ironic scheduling twist, fans will get a preview of next week’s division championships when all four playoff teams face off against the rival they will play the following week in the division championship. At stake in at least one of these games is the home-field advantage and the opportunity to host the division championship game next week.
The Regular Season Ends This Weekend
This weekend, tune in as the Birmingham Stallions host the Michigan Panthers in a preview of next week’s division championship. Catch the action on Saturday, June 1st on ESPN at 2:00 pm EDT.
In the second game on Saturday, June 1st, the St. Louis Battlehawks will host the San Antonio Brahmas. The game will be televised on FOX at 4:00 pm EDT. Throughout the season, St. Louis has boasted the best attendance in the league. Will the hometown crowd help the Battlehawks emerge victorious to ensure the division Championship is played at The Dome at America's Center?
In the season finale for two teams who failed to qualify for the playoffs, the D.C. Defenders will host the Arlington Renegades at Audi Field. ABC will broadcast the game on Sunday, June 2nd at noon EDT.
Also on Sunday, June 2nd at 7:00 pm EDT, FOX will broadcast the final game of the regular season when the Memphis Showboats take on the Houston Roughnecks at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
Check your local listings for details.