Professional football returns to Oklahoma as UFL announces OKC expansion team
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
With the exponential growth of the Oklahoma City area, the Sooner State has earned the return of professional football.
The United Football League announced Thursday that it plans to launch an expansion team in Oklahoma City with a target to play in the 2028 season.
The team will play in Oklahoma City’s new multipurpose stadium, also named the MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium, that the city is soon-to-be constructing at the corner of Oklahoma City Boulevard and Gaylor Boulevard — caddy corner to the Paycom Center.
The UFL expanding to Oklahoma is a certain sign the state, and more specifically Oklahoma City, is growing at a positive and large rate. A lot of that growth can be attributed to the success of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder and city leadership, spearheaded by OKC mayor David Holt.
The UFL, regarded as a step-down from the NFL, recognized the opportunity to help continue that growth by bringing a team to OKC.
“Oklahoma City has long been one of the most glaring vacancies on the professional football map,” said UFL President & CEO Russ Brandon. “The combination of a new stadium, deep-rooted football culture, and a city that has proven its ability to support major league sports makes this an easy decision. We are thrilled to bring the UFL’s brand of high-octane spring football to the passionate fans of Oklahoma.”
Oklahoma has had amateur and professional football before, most notably the USFL Oklahoma Outlaws in 1983. Tulsa has housed a few indoor teams, but this will be the biggest type of professional football in the state.
The Sooner State has strived for more football in the state, and it got just that thanks to the growth and the new stadium in downtown OKC.
“Oklahoma lives and breathes football, so bringing the UFL to Oklahoma City was an easy decision,” said UFL co-owner Mike Repole. “This is a state that shows up, cares deeply, and truly understands the game. From college powerhouses to Friday night lights, football runs deep here. We’re committed to building a franchise in OKC that the entire state can rally behind.”
The name of the OKC team is yet to be determined, which brings on a massive discourse about what it should be.
Oklahoma City Lightning?
Oklahoma City Outlaws?
Oklahoma City Bison?
Oklahoma City Landrunners?
The ideas are endless with what OKC’s name could be.
Oklahoma has a storied history with football as a sport. Plenty of NFL Hall of Famers are either from Oklahoma or went to an Oklahoma university before their storied careers.
The University of Oklahoma has one of the blue blood programs in college football with seven national championships and seven Heisman winners.
The Sooners have also sold-out every home game since 1999, proving Oklahoma as a whole is all about football. That can be said about Oklahoma State, too.
The Sooner State also loves its Friday Night Lights, wielding one of the best programs in the country in the Bixby Spartans who have won eight-straight state championships.
As a two-year wait begins before professional football returns to Oklahoma, the anticipation will build—so will the stadium.
“Oklahoma City welcomes the UFL to our championship city!” Holt said. “We love sports and we love football, so we think this should be a great fit. We have always said that the MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium opens up new opportunities for our city, and this is a perfect example. We look forward to the UFL’s arrival in 2028!”
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos