If you ever needed proof that football in Ohio is a full-blown religion, look no further than the UFL’s latest expansion move. The league just dropped the announcement that Columbus — yes, that Columbus, home of scarlet-and-gray Saturdays and beer-soaked tailgates on Lane Avenue — is officially getting its own pro football team: the Columbus Aviators.
Starting in 2026, the Aviators will take flight at Historic Crew Stadium, repping a red “A” with a blue wing logo that screams both “aviation heritage” and “don’t sleep on us.” And honestly, this might be the smartest thing the UFL has done since the XFL-USFL merger.
Let’s not sugarcoat it — the UFL needed a win.
After the league’s debut in 2024 and a rocky sophomore season that saw attendance dip 5% and TV ratings nosedive by 25%, owner Mike Repole had a choice: fade into spring football oblivion like every alt-league before, or double down with fresh energy and smarter markets.
His solution? Three new franchises for 2026 — the Columbus Aviators, Louisville Kings, and Orlando Storm — replacing the underperforming Michigan Panthers, Memphis Showboats, and San Antonio Brahmas. The goal: smaller, more passionate markets that actually care about football, and teams that can build legit local connections.
“Columbus checked every single box,” Repole said. “It’s a great market. They love football.”
Translation: the UFL is betting on the most football-crazy state in America to help save its brand.
The Aviators will call Historic Crew Stadium home — the old fortress where MLS fans used to belt out chants before the Columbus Crew moved to their new digs downtown. With 27,000 seats, a central location, and a city that’s already wired for game-day chaos, it’s a tailor-made fit for spring football.
More importantly, the Aviators won’t be a “shared tenant.” Repole made it clear that Columbus will be the main show at the stadium. That matters — because if the UFL wants people to take them seriously, their teams need to feel permanent, not like squatters between lacrosse games.
“I look forward to the days of watching 20,000 people at Columbus Aviators games,” Repole said, sounding like a man who’s seen too many empty bleachers. “I feel pretty confident we can see that number.”
If they can tap into even half the city’s Buckeye-fueled football mania, 20K might actually be underselling it.
Here’s where things get spicy: the UFL is launching a new regional player rights rule, giving teams first dibs on players who played college ball in nearby schools.
That’s a direct nod to Ohio State — and a savvy move to build local fan identity. Imagine rolling up to Crew Stadium and watching guys you remember torching Michigan a few years back — now wearing an Aviators jersey and fighting for one more shot at the pros.
“It’s almost like everyone is a free agent in our league,” Repole said. “Having fans familiar with players who were stars at Ohio State but didn’t make the NFL — that’s going to be a big part of our strategy.”
Translation: expect names like Cardale Jones 2.0 or the next J.T. Barrett to show up on the Aviators’ depth chart.
It’s nostalgia, local pride, and talent development all rolled into one — and it might just be the secret sauce that gives the UFL a fighting chance.
Usually, new team names land like a bad dad joke (“Storm,” “Kings,” “Panthers 2.0,” etc.), but “Columbus Aviators” actually hits.
Ohio has legit aviation roots — the Wright Brothers were born in Dayton, NetJets (the private jet giant) is based in Columbus, and there’s something kind of poetic about a team taking flight in a city obsessed with launching careers (and passes).
Repole said he wanted something unique, local, and “pretty catchy.” Mission accomplished. The branding is clean, the logo has personality, and the name feels like it belongs on a helmet — not a minor league baseball cap.
And if NetJets does end up sponsoring them? That’s just elite synergy. Picture it now: “The Columbus Aviators presented by NetJets — taking spring football to cruising altitude.” Someone call their marketing team.
The Aviators aren’t flying solo into 2026 — the UFL is reshuffling the entire deck. The Houston Roughnecks are now the Houston Gamblers (a callback to the old USFL days), while the Arlington Renegades are getting promoted to Dallas Renegades, moving into Toyota Stadium.
Oh, and the league’s scrapping its conference system. Instead of divisions, it’s now the top four teams overall making the playoffs. It’s cleaner, simpler, and probably better for a league still figuring out what it wants to be.
More expansion is already on the table, with Repole hinting at adding two new teams every two years. But for now, the focus is squarely on stability — and on Columbus, where the Aviators are shaping up to be the face of the league’s reboot.
Let’s be real: the UFL isn’t competing with the NFL — it’s fighting for survival in the long shadow of it. But if there’s one place that can give it oxygen, it’s Ohio.
The state has pro-level passion without enough pro teams to satisfy it. Outside of Cleveland and Cincinnati, central Ohio’s been football-mad but underrepresented. The Aviators fill that gap perfectly — giving Columbus a reason to tailgate in April and an identity beyond college football.
For players, it’s another path. For fans, it’s another excuse to wear a jersey. For the UFL, it’s a litmus test. If the Aviators catch on, it proves the league can thrive in secondary markets with authentic roots — not just big cities with empty seats.
Repole’s dream is to make the UFL a pipeline to the NFL, both for players and coaches. And Columbus, with its recruiting power and Ohio State adjacency, could easily become the league’s farm system.
If that works, the Aviators won’t just be a new franchise — they’ll be the model for the league’s future.
The Columbus Aviators are more than just an expansion team. They’re a statement — that the UFL is done chasing clout in oversaturated markets and ready to embrace the regions that actually live and die by football.
They’ve got the branding, the stadium, and a fan base that bleeds pigskin. All that’s left is to land the right coach (ideally with Buckeye ties) and put a product on the field that makes Columbus care past Week 3.
If they can do that, this won’t just be another alt-football experiment. It’ll be the league’s best shot yet at sticking the landing — or, in this case, taking flight.
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