Illustration by Manuel Lopez | Student life
Nearly 10 years ago, after the 2015 National Football League (NFL) season, the St. Louis Rams football team left the city and relocated to Los Angeles. It probably didn't help that just a few years later the Rams won their second Super Bowl in franchise history. The victory parade was held near the Pacific coast rather than under the Arch, leaving many St. Louisans angry and feeling empty. But the city is starting to embrace new teams.
The St. Louis BattleHawks are part of an eight-team league called the United Football League (UFL), which is a merger of two other football leagues, the XFL and the United States Football League (USFL). It is newly established and is currently in its first season. The BattleHawks were previously in the XFL, but due to the pandemic, they only played five games in their first season in 2020, finishing with three wins and two losses, before all games were suspended until this year.
The city of St. Louis has certainly shown support for the new team. The BattleHawks so far lead all UFL teams in attendance, social media followers and television viewership. After two consecutive sold-out games in 2020, the team was forced to open up the seats in the Dome, where the BattleHawks play their home games, to more fans. The team's average attendance per game exceeded 35,000, which is more than many St. Louis Cardinals games. All seven of the Battle Hawks' home games last year ranked in the top eight UFL attendance figures and managed to increase viewership. This team was so popular that its average attendance was more than double that of his second-place team, the DC Defenders. In their final game on April 6, the team set a new record with 40,000 fans in attendance. St. Louis wanted a football team and now they have a football team.
“I'm really excited to be rooting for the football team again,” said sophomore Oliver Trammell, a Missouri native and former Rams fan. “I haven't played football since the Rams left, but I'm definitely going to attend a game. It's a pretty tough situation.”
The BattleHawks finished the 2023 season with a record of 7 wins and 3 losses, but missed the playoffs altogether due to a tiebreaker with the Seattle Sea Dragons. Now, they are looking for a comeback season and hope to put everything together and reach the postseason. The BattleHawks, led by quarterback AJ McCarron, who led the University of Alabama to back-to-back college football national championships in 2012 and 2013 and was drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, will Getting ready for the team. strong season. McCarron threw 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions in just nine games last year, completing 68.8 percent and passing for 2,150 yards. McCarron's touchdown total is good enough to lead the league, and his continued success will be crucial to the BattleHawks' playoff hopes.
However, the road to the championship will not be easy. The BattleHawks will have to deal with the loss of lead running back Brian Hill. Hill, a former NFL player, led the team in rushing yards, attempts and yards per attempt last year, but will not return to the team for the 2024 season. Now, the Battle Hawks have their eye on another former NFL player, Wayne Gallman. He had a quiet debut in the season opener with 40 yards rushing and no touchdowns, but the Battle Hawks will need his success if they want to have a chance at a title.
To make the playoffs, the BattleHawks must finish in the top two of the four teams in the XFL division. Last year, despite going 7-3, they missed out on the Big Dance due to a strong division, but the 4-6 Arlington Renegades, who were in the other division, made it to the playoffs and won the championship. . This year's merger has overhauled the division, which will be critical if St. Louis wants to win a title. The BattleHawks got off to a strong start to the 2024 season, winning 27-24 over their divisional opponent Renegades and bouncing back from a tough 18-16 loss to the Michigan Panthers to improve their record to 1-1. The result was 1 win and 1 loss. .
As the season progresses, only time will tell if the BattleHawks can make it to the postseason. But no matter how the team finishes, they have additional responsibilities. The BattleHawks are a St. Louis team and they bring something that St. Louis has been lacking for the past few years. Now, they aim to create a new football legacy and pioneer his UFL that captivates St. Louis.
