Sports

UFL Ratings Underperform During Week 1 Games

by
Marcus Williams
April 3, 2025

Game 1 of the UFL’s second season is in the books, and the results revealed some surprising truths about the makeup of the league. Unfortunately, the television ratings for Week 1’s games are roughly half of what they were for the debut weekend in 2024.

Week 1 UFL Scores

Battlehawks 31, Roughnecks 6 (690,000 viewers)
Brahmas 9, Renegades 33 (584,000 viewers)
Panthers 26, Showboats 12 (569,000 viewers)
Stallions 11, Defenders 18 (395,000 viewers)

The UFL’s debut weekend was up against some stiff competition, such as March Madness games, but Week 1 games in 2024 faced the same competition and performed better.

The ratings will need to improve if the United Football League intends to stick around for the long term.

UFL betting sites have been slow to create betting lines for Week 2’s matchups, likely due to the somewhat surprising results from Week 1.

The Birmingham Stallions dropped their opening game to the DC Defenders, and were unable to score any points in the second half. It is probably too early to hit the panic button in Birmingham, but they do face a tough Michgan Panthers team in Week 2.

Tomorrow night at 8 p.m., the Stallions will travel to face the Panthers in Detroit.

Birmingham Stallions @ Michigan Panthers

Point Spread: Stallions -2.5 (-115), Panthers +2.5 (-105)
Moneyline Odds: Stallions -150, Panthers +130
Over: 38.5 (-110)
Under: 38.5 (-110)

Birmingham is a 2.5-point favorite on the road, and can pull even to a 1-1 record with a win. The Panthers went 7-3 last season, and easily defeated the Memphis Showboats in Week 1.

Saturday night at 8 p.m., Memphis will face the Defenders in Washington, D.C.

Memphis Showboats @ DC Defenders

Point Spread: Showboats +7.5 (-110), Defenders -7.5 (-110)
Moneyline Odds: Showboats +310, Defenders -415
Over: 37.0 (-110)
Under: 37.0 (-110)

The Defenders are a 7.5-point favorite and will definitely cover the spread if they repeat their performance from Week 1.

Sunday at noon, the struggling Houston Roughnecks will attempt to rebound from their Week 1 loss when they visit the Renegades in Arlington.

Houston Roughnecks @ Arlington Renegades

Point Spread: Roughnecks +10.0 (-110), Renegades -10.0 (-110)
Moneyline Odds: Roughecks +390, Renegades-550
Over: 39.0 (-110)
Under: 39.0 (-110)

The expectations in Arlington have been high because their head coach is Bob Stoops, who has experienced so much success on the collegiate gridiron.

Stoops led the Renegades to an XFL Championship in 2023, but their regular-season record was 4-6. They only qualified for the XFL Playoffs due to the bottom of the division performing so poorly.

Arlington seems to have things in order for 2025, as they had no problem dispatching the San Antonio Brahmas, beating them by over three touchdowns.

Speaking of San Antonio, they’ll be wrapping up the Week 2 schedule against St. Louis on Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m.