The United Football League (UFL) is facing significant challenges as it begins its second season, with television ratings dropping dramatically from last year’s debut. Only 690,000 people watched the St. Louis Battlehawks vs. Houston Roughnecks season opener in primetime, which is a nearly 40% decrease from the 1.18 million who watched the XFL opener the previous year. The league was created in 2024 by combining the XFL and USFL, and its long-term survival is seriously called into question by this decline.
Market analysts point to various factors behind this shift in viewership trends. Interestingly, sports betting still remains a bright spot for engaged fans. This is partly because some of the best options are super convenient, helping you take advantage of soft lines and odds changes no matter where you are.
The finest betting apps for mobile users have become an important part of how dedicated followers interact with the league. These apps are creating new ways for fans to stay connected to the action throughout the season. Sports betting sites still offer UFL markets, which gives fans more motivation to watch and keep a close eye on teams even as the league struggles to build a steady television audience.
The decline in ratings aligns with increased player dissatisfaction in the NFL. Many athletes have begun to express concerns, often anonymously, about the lack of a collective bargaining agreement and inadequate benefits package. Players are especially angry about their uncertain career futures, comparatively low pay, and limited healthcare coverage. Though many see the UFL as a possible pathway to the NFL or CFL, the lack of strong player protections has caused general discontent throughout the league.
Adding to these tensions are reports indicating that players have presented a list of demands to league co-owners Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia. While the specific demands remain private, sources familiar with the situation say they include requests for higher salaries, better insurance coverage, and greater transparency regarding scheduling and team operations. Neither Johnson nor Garcia has publicly addressed these concerns so far.
The 2025 season was supposed to build on modest momentum gained during the inaugural campaign, but that progress now seems to be at risk. Despite maintaining high-quality gameplay and attracting several former NFL players to UFL rosters, fan engagement is noticeably fading away. Social media activity from official team accounts has slowed, and online discussions about the league have diminished outside of dedicated fan communities.
The ratings performance has not been discussed by television partners FOX or ESPN, but industry insiders speculate that executives may already be pressuring league officials to change their marketing strategies and broadcast schedules. Games in the early Sunday afternoon time slot have done particularly poorly in major markets.
Not all news is bad for the UFL, as some cities—notably St. Louis—continue to show strong in-person attendance figures, with merchandise sales remaining steady in those markets. Nevertheless, with mounting pressure from both within and outside the organization, league leadership faces an urgent need to address these issues if they hope to change the narrative and stabilize the UFL’s position in the crowded sports landscape.
The combination of falling viewership, player unrest, and reduced engagement from betting platforms presents a perfect storm of challenges for the young league as it attempts to establish itself as a viable alternative during the NFL off-season.
