UAB reinstates football program

The University of Alabama-Birmingham reinstated its football program.

“We are in a different position,” UAB president Ray Watts said Monday, a reversal from the announcement of the termination of the sport just six months ago. “We have received pledges, large and small from many donors and many fans. Many from people who have never before supported UAB football, and in unprecedented amounts.”

Watts said raising funds totaling $17.2 million of external support, some requiring additional approval, more than covers the anticipated operational shortage if the sports are reinstated.

“Given the broad base of support never before seen, we are taking steps to reinstate football, rifle and bowling programs,” Watts said Monday, when he added Conference USA was informed of the decision.

Watts passed the mic Monday to athletic director Mark Ingram, who said the process was constructive and transparent in every way.

“From the outset, Dr. Watts made it clear that everyone would have a voice,” Ingram said. “We met with students, faculty, staff, donors, coaches, alumni and officials. … We intend to provide a world-class experience to our athletes and coaches and do it in a fiscally responsible manner.”

UAB must maintain, though not exceed, institutional support at its current pace to avoid borrowing money from educational funding.

The Blazers football program was cut following the 2014 season for budgetary reasons. UAB likely would not play this upcoming season, returning to the field in 2016.

“We must and will be successful,” Watts said. “So many depend on us. There is a lot of work to be done. By working together, we are up to the task.”

The move comes after an overwhelming public outcry — including on social media — and a strong showing of monetary support.

UAB became the first major college football program to shut down since Pacific did so in 1995. Last season, UAB had the program’s best record in a decade with a 6-6 record under first-year coach Bill Clark. UAB doubled its average attendance in 2014 to more than 21,000 per game.

On Dec. 2, Watts announced that he would disband football, rifle and women’s bowling teams after a report from CarrSports Consulting found that UAB athletic expenses would grow to $38.5 million by 2019 while revenue would increase by less than $1 million.

“I’m grateful to be a part of this new era of UAB athletics,” said Ingram. “Let’s go to work.

UAB received a financial review report last month from College Sports Solutions, commissioned by the school’s Athletics Assessment Task Force to project the cost to maintain current athletic programs and reinstate the football, rifle and bowling programs.

According to ESPN.com, the second report came to the conclusion that reinstating the three programs and continuing on without them were both “viable options.” The report said the school would operate on an annual $3.165 million deficit if it brought back the programs, but noted that a return would “foster much goodwill and stimulate a substantial amount of spiritual and financial support from alumni, donors, ticket holders, friends, students, faculty and the community” in addition to “positive national attention to the University.”

Justin Craft, a former UAB football player and chair of the UAB Athletics Assessment Task Force, said more than $27 million had been raised to make up for the deficit, including a $7.5 million gift contingent on UAB building a stadium on campus. He said fundraising brought in more than 600 pledges.

“The city has rallied around the program,” Craft told ESPN.com before a decision was reached by UAB. “It has truly become Birmingham’s team. The first step is the support, but the second step is to invest.”

The Birmingham City Council announced it would make a $2.5 million pledge — $500,000 per year for five years — and the UAB Undergraduate Student Government Association would make a $550,000 pledge if the school brought the football, women’s bowling and rifle programs back.

If UAB didn’t reinstate football, the school would have been forced to leave Conference USA, losing upwards of $2 million annually. Conference USA bylaws mandate that its member schools have an FBS-level football program.