San Antonio Snap Count: San Antonio’s Ever-Changing World of Alternative Football
- SABrahmabullpen
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Is this Sunday's game a keystone event for pro football in San Antonio?
Before we dig into that topic and the Brahmas' Week 5 home opener, I want to take a second to thank you for reading and let you know the plans for this blog moving forward. I am titling my blog the "San Antonio Snap Count" and plan to post articles on football-related topics in the San Antonio area, focusing on the UFL and IFA teams. We may occasionally dabble in College, High School, or Indoor football. I hope you enjoy it. Please feel free to reach out on social media @SABrahmaBullpen or comment on the article below.
Pro Football in San Antonio
Pro football in San Antonio has been very fluid since the San Antonio Wings showed up in 1975. "The Wings were the city's first professional team and played in the World Football League. The Wings went 7-6, but the league folded before the playoffs." Then there was the "San Antonio Charros (American Football Association, 1977-83), San Antonio Gunslingers (USFL, 1984-85), San Antonio Riders (World League of American Football, 1991-92), San Antonio Texans (Canadian Football League, 1995), San Antonio Matadors (Spring Football League, 2000) and San Antonio Commanders (Alliance of American Football, 2020)." (Postins, 2024)
Currently, we have the San Antonio Gunslingers of the IFL and, of course, the San Antonio Brahmas of the UFL. This summer, it appears we will get another team called the San Antonio Caballeros of the IFA, although recent reports have raised more questions than answers about whether this league will get teams on the fields this summer. Head coach and owner Hal Mumme recently said, "San Antonio Caballeros will be on the field this summer, and we will fulfill our goal of getting their players game film, which they can use to advance their football careers.
Attendance
Now I know what you are asking: Why did I just read two paragraphs about the history of alternative football in San Antonio? The answer is simple: The Brahmas are 1-3 heading into week five, and we need San Antonians to show up to the Alamodome at 2 pm this Sunday, Apr 27, to support the team.
This is the third consecutive year the San Antonio Brahmas will play in the Alamodome, a stadium that once hosted the New Orleans Saints from the NFL. It is the first time an NFL-style football league has lasted more than two seasons since the Charros played for 7 seasons in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
It is the Brahmas' first home game not by choice but due to scheduling conflicts with the Alamodome. The biggest of these conflicts is the NCAA final four men's basketball tournament, which forced the Brahmas to play road games in the season's first four weeks. In their first home game, they play a fellow 1-3 team, the Houston Roughnecks. It is not a stretch to think we can win this Sunday. Even the Vegas betting odds have the Brahmas favored by 3.5 points.
I can't help but think that this Sunday's attendance might be a keystone moment history will look back on when judging the success or failure of this current iteration of pro UFL football in San Antonio. Are the fans as excited as head coach Payton Pardee when he said, "San Antonio has the best fan base in the league?" (San Antonio Sports Star, n.d.)
When do we stop blaming the league, teams, or marketing folks for the fans' lack of interest? Will we answer this Sunday, "Is San Antonio a Football City?
I know I will be in attendance, hopefully with about 20 thousand of my Brahmas Familia!
Will you? Do you think the Brahmas' attendance number this Sunday will speak to the team's long-term viability?
Comment below.
References
Postins, M. (2024, Jan 2). San Antonio Marks Latest Pro Football Chapter in UFL Merger. Retrieved from SI.com: https://www.si.com/fannation/ufl/news/san-antonio-pro-football-chapter-ufl-merger-xfl-usfl
San Antonio Sports Star. (n.d.). The Blitz With Jason & Joe. Retrieved from 94.1 San Antonio's Sports Star: https://www.sasportsstar.com/
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