Billionaire Mike Repole drives UFL overhaul with stadium strategy, market shifts
The United Football League (UFL) is overhauling its market strategy under new co-owner Mike Repole, a beverage industry titan and serial entrepreneur, who plans to relocate up to four franchises by 2026 while prioritizing smaller stadiums to enhance fan engagement and broadcast appeal.
Repole’s beverage empire fuels ambitious vision
Repole, whose net worth Forbes estimates at $1.6 billion, co-founded Vitaminwater, Smartwater, and BodyArmor before selling the latter two brands to Coca-Cola. His business acumen extends to sports, where he revitalized St. John’s University’s men’s basketball program through significant financial investments, culminating in their 2024 Big East championship—their first since 1992.
Columbus anchors stadium shift
The league confirmed Columbus, Ohio, as its first new market, with teams set to play at Historic Crew Stadium—a 21,000-seat MLS venue. Repole told ESPN the move reflects his focus on “venue and attendance” over oversized college facilities, where sparse crowds created a “COVID game” atmosphere. “Nobody wants to see 10,000 fans in a 65,000-seat stadium,” he said. Additional markets under consideration include Boise, Orlando, and Kentucky, though final decisions are pending. The UFL will retain eight teams, exiting underperforming cities ahead of 2026.
St. Louis success contrasts struggles
Only St. Louis Battlehawks and D.C. Defenders drew robust crowds in 2024, with the Battlehawks averaging 30,000 fans at the 67,000-seat Dome at America’s Center. Conversely, six other markets averaged 5,000–12,000 attendees in cavernous venues like Ford Field (65,000 capacity) and Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (58,000). Repole aims for 10,000–15,000 fans per game, vowing to “take all the blame” if targets aren’t met.
Ownership targets long-term growth
Repole, whose Impact Capital now oversees UFL business operations, joins Fox, ESPN, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, and RedBird Capital in ownership. He outlined a decade-long vision to expand to 16 teams—half the NFL’s size—citing the league’s “capital, media giants, and entrepreneurs” as unique advantages. “If we can’t hit 16 by 2035, I’ll consider it a personal failure,” he said.
Operational tweaks to boost local ties
While teams will continue centralized practices in Arlington, Texas, Repole plans incremental local integration, such as extending home-market stays around games to deepen community connections. “You can’t be a real league in five years with your D.C. team in Arlington,” he noted.
Season structure remains intact
The UFL will retain its 10-game schedule (March–June) through 2026, avoiding direct NFL competition. Repole emphasized leveraging MLS partnerships for venue efficiency, mirroring the Columbus Crew’s stadium model, while banking on improved atmospheres to stabilize the league as the first spring circuit since the 1980s USFL to reach a third season.
With Repole’s disruptor ethos now steering business decisions, the UFL bets that intimate venues, strategic relocations, and his proven branding expertise can transform its survival bid into sustained growth.
