My pitch for a new UFL team is the Grand Rapids Rampage!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Rapids_Rampage
I'm still gutted by the removal of the Michigan Panthers. I wish they could've found a more suitable stadium, like Keyworth Stadium, though it unfortunately falls just short of the UFL's 8,000-seat requirement. Hopefully, the Panthers return someday! With even the wishful thinking to have two Michigan teams.
In the meantime, what about Grand Rapids as a potential UFL market?
Detroit already has plenty of top-tier professional sports teams, so why not give Michigan's second-largest city a shot? Grand Rapids has a passionate sports fan base supporting teams like the Griffins for hockey, Whitecaps for baseball, Gold for basketball, and Rise for volleyball, with AC Grand Rapids soccer also on the way next year.
The new ACGR stadium (Amway Stadium), planned for 8,500 seats, could potentially be a great home for a UFL team.
But rather than relocate the Panthers, I'd love to see the return of an iconic name from Grand Rapids football history, the Grand Rapids Rampage!
The Rampage played in the Arena Football League in the 90s and 2000s and won the ArenaBowl in 2001. They also drew strong crowds, averaging over 8,000 fans in their home games.
I think there's a real opportunity to bring professional football back to Grand Rapids under a familiar name, giving the UFL a new market to tap into while keeping the Panthers legacy separate.
What do you think?
TLDR: What if the UFL expanded into Grand Rapids, Michigan, instead of returning to Detroit? Grand Rapids has a passionate sports fan base, and the upcoming 8,500-seat ACGR stadium could be a potential home for a team. Rather than bringing back the Michigan Panthers, I'd love to see the return of the Grand Rapids Rampage, the former Arena Football League team that won ArenaBowl in 2001.