I have no thoughts except that I had to google what UAB stood for, even after reading that article. I kinda figured it was University of Alabama, Birmingham, but I was surprised it wasn't spelled out anywhere.

NCAA scholarships are one-year agreements. Yes, they usually renewed, however they are only for one year periods of time. The football players have a scholarship for this academic year. They will be able to transfer to any school and play next year without sitting out since the school did away with the sport.

As long as they get offered by another school they can. There's no guarantee in that.

Since 2012, the NCAA has allowed schools to provide multiyear scholarships.

Most fon't give multi year ones though. However, most schools will honor the scholarships for the balance of the time the student is in school once they close a program. UAB has agreed to do this. 'Bout the only good thing I can say about them at this point...

It is allowed by the NCAA, however I do not know of a major (or even mid-major) DI school which does multi-year deal. One year is still the norm.

Most football programs probably don't make money -- even "top tier" programs:

I hate it for the students, the scholarship athletes, and city, but UAB was facing some huge expenditures to improve facilities and was (has been) in need of an on-campus stadium. It is very unlikely that the program would become a money-maker.

UAB football has been around less than 14 years I think -- and D1 fewer years than that. Unfortunately, UAB often seemed like a football stepchild sandwiched between several high-profile SEC teams here.

Hopefully something can be worked out conference-wise for the remaining sports (UAB has had a competitive basketball team and following in the past, for instance). Conference USA stipulates that the school must have a football program.

It's sad for the disappointed students and fans. Some of the freshman athletes probably feel betrayed having just been recruited.

This makes sense to me.

It was my understanding that the vast majority of the money generated by NCAA sports is in broadcast deals. Wasn't that the driver behind all of this re-mixing of the major conferences within the past few years?

I seem to remember that the (then) Pac-10 was really concerned that it didn't have nearly the broadcasting revenues that conferences like the SEC did, hence the move to expand and renegotiate those deals. I can only imagine that an even smaller conference would have really limited bargaining power with the broadcasters, and hence minimal revenues.

And think of the law suits they just eliminated, from head injury, to sexual assault, to drunken fights at tailgates. If the over/under is they get rid of football and then spend more money on academics, I'm all for it. Hopefully it's a trend that will continue.

There are certainly people who share that sentiment -- some people feel that UAB should invest in what they do well going forward instead of investing heavily in improvements necessary to support the football program.

It seems to be a situation ripe for knee-jerk disappointed reactions (understandable) and internet misunderstandings. I haven't heard from any credible source that there are any plans to ever do away with undergraduate studies. And the Honors Program has not been disbanded:

http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/08/stir_over_uab_honors_program_w.html


I don't know if the lack of a football program will affect undergraduate enrollment, but I would be surprised if there was any significant decrease in numbers. Most students planning to attend UAB are probably not expecting a campus atmosphere that rallies around football like some of our other state universities, and probably do not choose UAB for that reason.

UAB is a very different campus "feel" -- 79% of students live off-campus/commute. The Greek community is extremely small (especially considering UAB's location) -- 2.9% of women and 2.4% of men are Greek (source).

This change makes a lot of sense to me. If you're competing for undergrad students in Alabama, there's no way on Earth you can distinguish yourself by using football. It makes sense to spend that money on ways you CAN distinguish yourself -- UAB is urban, it's got great ethnic and economic diversity, it's terrific in science and health fields. Those are good reasons students might choose it over Alabama and Auburn.

And the lack of an honors college will cause them to go elsewhere - Watts shut that down last year - too elitist. Yeah, so elitist that they just had one of the students who was in it named a Rhodes Scholar. Guess they don't want any of those...

But the Honors College isn't going anywhere. It was a false rumor last year. The program is alive and well and admitting new students.

http://www.uab.edu/students/undergra...onors-programs

Yes it is -- accurate info is just a simple google search away. ;)

Well put -- as much as the loss of the football program is disappointing and disruptive for many current students, IMO, it will not dissuade future students from choosing UAB.

Vote of "No Confidence" in UAB President.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/...ence-president