San Antonio Caballeros Cease Operations: Challenges in Alternative Football

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Living in the world of alternative professional football in San Antonio is not for the faint of heart. Too many times, a fan, player, coach, or even team owner comes to town with the purest of intentions, only to fail in their endeavors. Driven by noble ideas of giving a young athlete a shot at stardom or a young up-and-coming coach the chance to pursue their dream job, only to be met with the harsh reality that success is hard to achieve and the outcome is never certain.

San Antonio Caballeros Logo

It is with a somber spirit that I am writing this article to share that sources close to the San Antonio Caballeros have informed me the Caballeros will not be participating in the International Football Alliance's (IFA) 2025 season. There are many reasons why start-up leagues and teams ultimately fail, including poor marketing, insufficient funding, or a lack of a suitable venue. In the case of the Caballeros, it would be safe to assume a combination of the three played a role in the team's decision to forgo playing in 2025.

Early on, when it was first announced, the IFA would be starting a new team in San Antonio and using the University of Incarnate Word's (UIW) Football stadium to host the new summer football team. However, in recent weeks, the stadium deal fell through. The team source said, "All the paperwork was filed, but it was very close to the deadline," UIW set, which may have made the decision makers at the University a little nervous about leasing the stadium to the Caballeros.

Marketing has also been an issue. I, for one, have not seen any legacy media jump on board and try to support our new team here in San Antonio. There are a few social media accounts that have shared news about the IFA and the Caballeros, but let's be honest, the ten o'clock news and legacy media dominate the San Antonio market and are the most effective means of communication locally. Perhaps one day, alternative media outlets such as United Football Media (UFM) will be able to help and take up the mantle, supporting these teams as they struggle to establish themselves.

Heartfelt Appreciation

On that topic, I would like to take this opportunity to mention how refreshing it was, in the short time the UFM had the privilege of covering the Caballeros and the IFA, to see the league and teams' openness to alternative media. I had the privilege of sitting with Coach and team owner Hal Mumme when the team launch was first announced, and then later at two different open tryouts. Each time, he was excited and extremely proud of the opportunity he was working towards, which would have provided players and San Antonio football fans with a little more football in their lives. He never said the word "I" and always made it about the players, providing them with opportunities. There is little doubt that Coach Mummes' love for the game was strong, and his desire to coach was still there. He wanted nothing more than to bring the IFA to town.

League News

Other IFA teams are still planning on taking the field this summer. Michael Lathrop, host of the Player 54 Podcast and PFNewsroom contributor, has reported that the Ohio Valley Ironmen, Tampa Tornadoes, and Huntsville Astros have released schedules for 2025.

Various Social Media Posts by Michael Lathrop, Sharing IFA Team Schedules.

The IFA has also announced the formation of an expansion team, called the Arkansas Storm, which is set to launch in 2026. Sources with the Caballeros believe the Storm starting in 2026 is a "sure thing" because they are well-funded, and there may also be a team on the horizon called the Tennessee Hornets, out of Nashville, that will be making the jump to the IFA next year. My source also mentioned that it is "likely that the Pioneros will launch in 2026, and that the Chihuahua Rebellion will be playing in 2025." They have already sold over ten thousand tickets to their home opener next month!

Of course, none of it matters for the San Antonio Caballero players or coaches; they are left wondering what their futures hold. Coach Hall Mummue is from the San Antonio area and has the best of intentions when it comes to bringing professional football to town. Still, some key components need to be worked out, such as a suitable venue and an ownership group with sufficient funds to establish the team. There are other factors to consider as well, such as the competition from existing pro football teams, which themselves have struggled to gain the desired level of local fan support.

Thomas Edison said, "A good intention, with a bad approach, often leads to a poor result." I think he forgot to mention one critical component of success: money, and lots of it. One thing we can be certain of is no matter what caused the teams failure to take the field this summer,  the ownerships approach, the lack of marketing or venues, if we hope to see a third pro football team join the Brahmas and Gunslingers in San Antonio the biggest question that will need to be answered is: where does the money come from?