2024 UFL championship game

Last updated

2024 UFL championship game
DateJune 16, 2024
Kickoff time5:00 p.m. EDT (UTC-4)
Stadium The Dome at America's Center, St. Louis, Missouri
MVP Adrian Martinez, Birmingham
FavoriteBirmingham by −3.5 [1]
Referee Adam Savoie
Attendance27,396 [2]
Ceremonies
National anthemCharles Glenn
Halftime show Marquette King
TV in the United States
Network Fox
Announcers Curt Menefee (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (analyst) and Brock Huard (sideline reporter)
Nielsen ratings 0.8 (1.60 million viewers)

The 2024 UFL championship game was an American football game played on June 16, 2024, at The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The contest determined the champion of the 2024 UFL season and was played between the USFL Conference title winners, the Birmingham Stallions, and the XFL Conference title winners, the San Antonio Brahmas. The game began at 5:00 p.m. EDT and aired on Fox. [3]

Contents

Background

The championship game was the first UFL championship game following the merger of the XFL and the USFL. Before the merger, the USFL had two championship games, in 2022 and 2023, where the Birmingham Stallions defeated the Philadelphia Stars and the Pittsburgh Maulers in back-to-back seasons. The XFL held one championship game in 2023 when the Arlington Renegades defeated the DC Defenders. The two leagues merged before the 2024 season.

Host selection

The Dome at America's Center prior to the 2024 UFL Championship Game on June 16, 2024 The Dome at America's Center prior to the 2024 UFL Championship Game on June 16, 2024.jpg
The Dome at America's Center prior to the 2024 UFL Championship Game on June 16, 2024

On March 14, 2024, The Dome at America's Center was selected as host for the first UFL championship. [4] When discussing the selection, UFL President and CEO Russ Brandon said, "selecting the championship game location is more than just the stadium, but the community and the fanbase that surrounds it. This is why we are proud to bring our Championship to St. Louis – a city that has loved and embraced spring football from the start." [4] St. Louis set the XFL's five highest league attendance records in 2023. [4]

Of those known to have submitted competing bids, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, host of the 2022 and 2023 USFL championship games, was known to have made an "aggressive" bid. [5]

UFL playoffs

The four teams competing in the playoff clinched their spot during their regular season during different times of the overall season of the league. The top two placed teams in each division would face against each other for the division title. Whichever division title game team won, would then face the other champion from the other division in the UFL championship game.

Bracket

Conference finals
June 8–9, 2024 		UFL championship
June 16, 2024
      
USFL1 Birmingham Stallions 31
USFL2 Michigan Panthers 18
USFL1 Birmingham Stallions 25
XFL2 San Antonio Brahmas 0
XFL1 St. Louis Battlehawks 15
XFL2 San Antonio Brahmas 25

Teams

Birmingham Stallions

The Birmingham Stallions finished their third overall season under head coach Skip Holtz, going 9–1, their lone loss having occurred at the hands of San Antonio in week 9. [6] The Stallions advanced to the USFL Conference championship against the Michigan Panthers, in which they rallied from an 18–3 second quarter deficit, scoring the final 28 points in a 31–18 victory to secure their third consecutive USFL title.

Birmingham made their third consecutive spring football championship game appearance, winning both of the USFL championships as part of the original rebooted league over the Philadelphia Stars in 2022 and the Pittsburgh Maulers in 2023.

San Antonio Brahmas

The San Antonio Brahmas finished their second overall season and their first season under head coach Wade Phillips, going 7–3 and advancing to the XFL Conference championship against the St. Louis Battlehawks. The Brahmas led wire-to-wire behind a rushing attack that amassed over 200 yards, upsetting the Battlehawks on their home field, 25–15, to secure their first-ever XFL Conference championship. [7]

San Antonio was the second consecutive Texas-based team to appear in a spring football championship game, following the Arlington Renegades winning the 2023 XFL title as part of that rebooted league. Wade Phillips was also seeking his first outright championship as a head coach, having won Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos as their defensive coordinator in 2015.

Game summary

Scoring summary

2024 UFL championship game
Quarter1234Total
Birmingham Stallions0814325
San Antonio Brahmas00000

at The Dome at America's Center • St. Louis, Missouri

  • Date: Sunday, June 16, 2024
  • Game time: 5:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 93 °F (34 °C)
  • Game attendance: 27,396
  • Referee: Adam Savoie
  • TV announcers (Fox): Curt Menefee (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (analyst) and Brock Huard (sideline reporter)
Game information

Statistics

Broadcasting

Fox carried the championship, with its lead team of play-by-play broadcaster Curt Menefee, analyst Joel Klatt and sideline reporter Brock Huard, along with a guest appearance from Tom Brady, who is scheduled to become its lead NFL analyst in September.

A Spanish language broadcast was carried on Fox Deportes, with Jamie Motta and Jorge Carlos Mercader as the broadcast team. [9]

Entertainment

Charles Glenn, the anthem singer for the St. Louis Blues, performed the national anthem. [1]

Marquette King, a former St. Louis Battlehawk who currently plays for the Arlington Renegades, performed the halftime show. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curt Menefee</span> American sportscaster

Curt Menefee is an American broadcaster who hosts the Fox Network's NFL pregame show Fox NFL Sunday. He is also the co-anchor of Good Day New York on Fox's New York City flagship station, WNYW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington Renegades</span> UFL (2024) team based in Arlington, Texas

The Arlington Renegades are a professional American football team based in Arlington, Texas. The Renegades compete in the United Football League (UFL) as a member of the XFL Conference. The team was founded as the Dallas Renegades by Vince McMahon's Alpha Entertainment and are owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The Renegades play their home games at Choctaw Stadium. In 2023, The Renegades had a regular season record of 4-6 and were 2-0 in the playoffs, and were crowned XFL Champions. They were a part of the UFL merger in 2024, and started the 2024 season against the USFL Champion Birmingham Stallions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Louis Battlehawks</span> UFL (2024) team based in St. Louis, Missouri

The St. Louis Battlehawks are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. The Battlehawks compete in the United Football League (UFL) as a member of the XFL Conference. The team was a founding member of the XFL league. The Battlehawks were founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and are owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The Battlehawks play their home games at The Dome at America's Center. The team has a franchise regular season record of 17–8 (.680), as of its 2024 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DC Defenders</span> UFL (2024) team based in Washington, D.C.

The DC Defenders are a professional American football team based in Washington, D.C. The Defenders compete in the United Football League (UFL) as a member of the XFL Conference. The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and is owned and operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The Defenders play their home games at Audi Field. The Defenders have a regular season record of 12–3 (.800), the second-highest win percentage among UFL teams as of its 2024 season. They were also the top team in the 2023 XFL league, boasting a 9–1 record and scoring 49 more points than the next closest team, the St. Louis Battlehawks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Dallas Renegades season</span> American professional football season

The 2020 Dallas Renegades season was the first season for the Dallas Renegades as a professional American football franchise. They played as charter members of the XFL, one of eight teams to compete in the league for the 2020 season. The Renegades played their home games at the Globe Life Park in Arlington and were led by head coach Bob Stoops.

The 2020 Seattle Dragons season was the first season for the Seattle Dragons as a professional American football franchise. They played as charter members of the XFL, one of eight teams to compete in the league for the 2020 season. The Dragons played their home games at CenturyLink Field and were led by head coach Jim Zorn.

The 2020 St. Louis Battlehawks season was the first season for the St. Louis Battlehawks as a professional American football franchise. They played as charter members of the XFL, one of eight teams to compete in the league for the 2020 season. The Battlehawks played their home games at The Dome at America's Center and were led by head coach Jonathan Hayes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Football League (2022–2023)</span> Professional American football league

The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football minor league that played two seasons from 2022 to 2023. It is now one of the two-component conferences of the United Football League (UFL), along with the XFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham Stallions (2022)</span> Football team in Birmingham, Alabama

The Birmingham Stallions are a professional American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The Stallions compete in the United Football League (UFL) as a member of the USFL Conference. They were a founding member of the second iteration of the United States Football League (USFL) in 2022. The Stallions are owned and operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation, and play their home games at Protective Stadium. They have won three league championships since their founding, defeating the Philadelphia Stars 33–30 in 2022 and the Pittsburgh Maulers 28–12 in 2023 as part of the USFL, and most recently the San Antonio Brahmas 25–0 in the inaugural UFL Championship Game in 2024.

The 2022 Birmingham Stallions season was the first season for the Birmingham Stallions as a professional American football franchise. They play as charter members of the United States Football League, one of eight teams to compete in the league for the 2022 season. The Stallions play their home games at Protective Stadium and Legion Field and are led by head coach Skip Holtz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Antonio Brahmas</span> UFL (2024) team based in San Antonio, Texas

The San Antonio Brahmas are a professional American football team based in San Antonio, Texas. The Brahmas compete in the United Football League (UFL) as a member of the XFL Conference. The team is owned-and-operated by Dwayne Johnson's Alpha Acquico and Fox Corporation. The Brahmas play their home games at the Alamodome. The Brahmas have a franchise regular season record of 11-11 (.500).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 XFL Championship Game</span> American football game in San Antonio, Texas

The 2023 XFL Championship Game was an American football game on May 13, 2023, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The contest determined the champion of the 2023 XFL season and was played between the South Division title winners Arlington Renegades and the North Division title winners DC Defenders. The game began at 8:00 p.m. EDT and was aired on ABC.

The 2023 season was the Birmingham Stallions second season in the United States Football League and their second under head coach, Skip Holtz and first under general manager Zach Potter. The Stallions successfully defended their championship title this season after winning the 2023 USFL Championship Game.

The 2024 DC Defenders season was the third season for the DC Defenders as a professional American football franchise and their first as a member of the United Football League (UFL). The Defenders played their home games at Audi Field and were led by head coach Reggie Barlow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Arlington Renegades season</span> American professional football season

The 2024 Arlington Renegades season was the third season for the Arlington Renegades as a professional American football franchise and their first as part of the United Football League. The Renegades played their home games at the Choctaw Stadium and was led by head coach Bob Stoops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Football League (2024)</span> American football league

The United Football League (UFL) is a professional American football high-level minor league which started play in March 2024. The league was created following the merger of the latest incarnations of the XFL and United States Football League (USFL). It consists of eight teams, all of which were members of the XFL or USFL prior to the UFL's creation, concentrated in the Midwest and Southern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 UFL season</span> Inaugural season of the UFL

The 2024 UFL season was the first season of the United Football League, which was created following the merger of the XFL and USFL, and the fifth season in the combined history of the two leagues, following the 2020 XFL season, 2022 USFL season, and separate 2023 seasons for both the USFL and XFL.

This timeline of the United Football League (UFL) tracks the history of each of the league's eight franchises from their enfranchisements in the XFL and USFL, through the merger of the two leagues, and to the present day.

The 2024 season was the Birmingham Stallions first season in the United Football League and their third under head coach Skip Holtz and general manager Zach Potter. The Stallions defended their back-to-back 2022 and 2023 USFL championship to create a three-peat and becoming the first UFL champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2025 UFL season</span> Second season of the UFL

The 2025 UFL season is the upcoming second season of the United Football League. The Birmingham Stallions were the defending champions when they defeated the San Antonio Brahmas 25–0 in the 2024 UFL Championship Game, the only shutout of the entire season, to win their third consecutive spring football championship, adding to their back-to-back championships in the rebooted USFL.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "What to know & where to watch Sunday's UFL Championship in St. Louis". FOX 2. June 15, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  2. ↑ "UFL 2024 Season Attendance Numbers". Archived from the original on March 30, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  3. ↑ Staff Reports (March 14, 2024). "UFL championship game Location Revealed for 2024". Sports Illustrated UFL on FanNation News, Analysis and More. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 "St. Louis Selected to Host 2024 UFL Championship". www.theufl.com. March 14, 2024. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  5. ↑ Byer, Kelly (January 5, 2024). "New UFL passes on Canton, but Hall of Fame Village vies for championship game". Canton Repository. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  6. ↑ Inabinett, Mark (June 14, 2024). "Birmingham Stallions get a 'do-over' in UFL championship game". Alabama Media Group . Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  7. ↑ "San Antonio Brahmas head coach Wade Phillips reaches First League Title Game in his 55-year football coaching career and loses: Birmingham Stallions shut out Brahmas, 25-0". Greensboro Sports. June 17, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Birmingham Stallions vs. San Antonio Brahmas – Box Score". UFL. June 16, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Curt Menefee, Joel Klatt and Brock Huard Call Inaugural UFL Championship on FOX". Fox Sports. June 13, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.