The University of Alabama at Birmingham is shutting down its football program, making it the first Football Bowl Subdivision program to be eliminated since 1995, the Associated Press
Or subscribe now to read with unlimited access for as low as $10/month.
A free account provides you access to a limited number of free articles each month, plus newsletters, job postings, salary data, and exclusive store discounts.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is shutting down its football program, making it the first Football Bowl Subdivision program to be eliminated since 1995, the Associated Press reports. The college announced the decision on Tuesday afternoon, saying that continued maintenance of a football program was “not sustainable.”
“The fiscal realities we face—both from an operating and a capital-investment standpoint—are starker than ever and demand that we take decisive action for the greater good of the athletic department and UAB,” the university’s president, Ray L. Watts, said in a written statement. “As we look at the evolving landscape of NCAA football, we see expenses only continuing to increase.”
Several hundred students and fans marched on Tuesday in support of the program. The team has a 6-6 record this year.
The program’s impending closure was first reported by Sports Illustrated. The university is also cutting its bowling and rifle programs.
