UAB shutting down football program

[canderson]

https://twitter.com/thayerevanssi/status/539148723050131456

https://twitter.com/thayerevanssi/status/539148723050131456

link to tweet

Alabama-Birmingham is firing athletic director Brian Mackin and will announce later this week that it will be shutting down its football program, according to a source familiar with the matter.

http://www.si.com/college-football/2014/11/30/alabama-birmingham-shuts-down-football-program-fires-athletic-director

 

[BigMike]

Very sad,   and it won't be the last one. 

 

[Royal Reader]

Damn.  
 
Gonna be sad to see Legion Field standing empty save for a couple of rivalry games and a bowl.  Guess the Gray Lady's days are numbered.

 

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

Is this because of an off the field issue?
 
or are they just losing too much $?

 

[Chemistry Schmemistry]

It makes sense for any non-major. You can meet Title IX's goals very easily without football. It's expensive. For FBS non-majors, the attendance requirements are difficult. Down the road, you're looking at the end, anyway, with the concussion lawsuits. High schools are going to start dropping football, so it will be more a club sport for teens (as it is for little kids). Maybe that's a good thing.

 

[Infield Infidel]

I'm not exactly surprised, they've only had three winning season, one bowl appearance ever and always had poor attendance. As soon as Troy moved up to 1-A they've usually had more success and support. Tough to be fourth in a state with two powerhouses. Third can at least get some scraps.
 
It'll be interesting what C-USA does. Charlotte starts conference play next season, so they will still have 14 teams, split 7 east and 7 west. Does the conference try to stay in Alabama and grab Troy? Do they try to get into Georgia and get Georgia Southern? Both and go to 16?
 
Edit- i'm a dolt, they have 13 this year and Charlotte was going to make 14. Now they'll have 13 again next year. Lots of candidates for 14, I still think Troy and Georgia Southern are the top choices if they are looking for quality, along with Arkansas St. Georgia St could be a candidate if they are only concerned with markets, but god they are terrible. 

 

[Infield Infidel]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/12/after_uab_kills_its_football_p.html
 
This is turning into a cluster%*^ because C-USA bylaws mandate teams having a football team, so UAB will have to leave the conference, but the administration apparently hasn't spoken to other conferences yet about moving, and other leagues with football (SunBelt, Missouri Valley) might not want another non-football school either. 

 

[Kremlin Watcher]

What are the rules on player transfers when a school does this? And is there anyone worth pursuing if there are no transfer restrictions?

 

[Infield Infidel]

https://twitter.com/slmandel/status/539902802600808449
 
They have a good sophomore RB in Jordan Howard, 1500+ yards 5.2 ypc and 13 TDs
 
It really sucks for the upperclassmen, because IIRC all FBS schools take a maximum of two years of transfer credits. There are some FCS schools that will take three years of credits (Youngstown St for example). For current juniors and redshirt sophomores, they'd lose up to a year of credits if they transfer to an FBS school. Redshirt juniors would lose even more unless they were close to graduating and used the graduate transfer exemption.

 

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

UAB players are supposed to have a meeting to discuss if they will accept a bowl invite if asked.

 

[Awesome Fossum]

ESPN reporting that no bowl will touch UAB because of its imminent demise. I'm a little surprised; I would think that UAB's last game would generate more interest than some other random 6-6 team for a bottom-tier bowl. I know I'd be more inclined to watch. But I admit to not really understanding the economics of bowls.

 

[Infield Infidel]

It would be cool to see them play Georgia Southern, who can't play in a bowl because of the transitions season and too many bowl teams. A final home game for UAB at Legion could be cathartic for folks there. Unfortunately slapdash post-season games are a thing of the far distant past. 

 

[gryoung]

Does UAB have any noteworthy alumni (in name at least) who have played/are playing in the NFL?

 

[SumnerH]

Does UAB have any noteworthy alumni (in name at least) who have played/are playing in the NFL?

 
Is Roddy White (4x pro bowler) noteworthy?
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_Alabama_at_Birmingham_people

 

[gryoung]

 
Is Roddy White (4x pro bowler) noteworthy?
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_Alabama_at_Birmingham_people

 
Certainly is in my book.

 

[DJnVa]

It's important to note that the program was shut down by the UA system, not the school itself. That UA system is pretty much beholden to the school in Tuscaloosa.
 
Players can transfer and are immediately eligible.
 
As far as the CUSA, there's a rumor that they will amend the bylaws, keep UAB in other sports and try to add UMass as football only. Other schools are South Alabama (that way you can keep the same divisions and travel partners for the most part) or Louisiana-Lafayette. If they look at market size, Ga State is out there, but their football program is horrid.

 

[steveluck7]

Is Roddy White (4x pro bowler) noteworthy?
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_Alabama_at_Birmingham_people

I would say so, except for those years that I have him on my fantasy teams.

 

[mauf]

It makes sense for any non-major. You can meet Title IX's goals very easily without football. It's expensive. For FBS non-majors, the attendance requirements are difficult. Down the road, you're looking at the end, anyway, with the concussion lawsuits. High schools are going to start dropping football, so it will be more a club sport for teens (as it is for little kids). Maybe that's a good thing.

You're right on Title IX and wrong on concussions.

I can't imagine any college or pro player playing today having a viable claim, especially against a state school. The risks are largely known. UAB and other schools might be exposed to claims from players who played years ago, but dropping football now doesn't solve that.

This is a cost-cutting move -- not just the football program, but the D-I women's sports that UAB needs to maintain to remain compliant with Title IX. It's a tough decision -- it makes sense financially, for sure, but FCS and small-time FBS programs do create a sense of community at many schools that likely won't be replicated without them.

 

[Chemistry Schmemistry]

There are 1.1 million high school football players. Some of the more enterprising John Edwards wannabes are already mining that rich lode for class action possibilities. By the time they're finished furnishing their second mansions on Long Island, high school football will be a shell of what it was.

 

[mauf]

There are 1.1 million high school football players. Some of the more enterprising John Edwards wannabes are already mining that rich lode for class action possibilities. By the time they're finished furnishing their second mansions on Long Island, high school football will be a shell of what it was.

You underestimate the difficulty of suing a public school, the willingness of state legislatures to insulate school sports programs from liability, and the virtual impossibility of getting a major class-action suit of this kind certified. I wouldn't want to be writing insurance for a helmet manufacturer, but even that is based more on what they sold 20 or 30 years ago (and the greater knowledge they may have had than the public then, before published medical research out the issue front and center).

 

[Chemistry Schmemistry]

I think they go after the state itself. Every state has a high school athletic association. Otherwise, you won't get enough for class action. The state athletic associations often provide injury insurance of some sort, as well as structure for the sports. While they are typically non-profits, the negligence argument might give lawyers access to state money. I can see this adding up considerably given the participation numbers and the difficulty proving any kind of trauma wasn't the result of athletic participation.

 

[mauf]

I think they go after the state itself. Every state has a high school athletic association. Otherwise, you won't get enough for class action. The state athletic associations often provide injury insurance of some sort, as well as structure for the sports. While they are typically non-profits, the negligence argument might give lawyers access to state money. I can see this adding up considerably given the participation numbers and the difficulty proving any kind of trauma wasn't the result of athletic participation.

I'm not going to drag the thread further off topic, as you're obviously talking out of your ass.

 

[Chemistry Schmemistry]

You sure made your point there, sporto.

 

[Infield Infidel]

UAB RB going to Indiana - he ran for 1500 yards this season
 
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/12107343/former-uab-rb-jordan-howard-commits-indiana