The United Football League revealed what its new gameday football will look like. (Photo courtesy: TheUFL.com)
Jason Barnes
Staff Writer
The St. Louis Battlehawks are gearing up for their third spring football season in five years. It will be the franchise’s first since the UFL merger, and plenty of changes are on deck.
For one, the 2024 season doesn’t start until late March after St. Louis’ XFL season picked up after the Super Bowl last year.
Over the last few days, the Battlehawks have learned they will take on the upcoming season with a new ball and a new set of new rules.
New Football
The UFL officially unveiled the league’s football on Thursday. The football showcases a metallic, hot-stamped silver UFL logo, complemented by XFL and USFL conference marks in bold black.
Dallas-based company ‘Big Game Football Factory’ constructs each football. Officials say the football uses “all domestically sourced raw materials and matches the same specifications as the current footballs used by professional players,” according to a UFL news release.
The ball’s design features premium elements like Horween Red 864 top-grain leather and suede ProTack+ laces. The league says the footballs offer a contemporary look, but stay authentic to the game.
New Rules
The UFL has adopted several innovative rules from its two merged leagues, the XFL and USFL, in hopes for a fast-paced game with plenty of action.
The modifications include the following:
Points After Touchdown: The UFL has adopted the XFL’s points after-touchdown options. Teams will have three scrimmage play (run/pass) options following a touchdown. They can try for one extra point at the two-yard line, two extra points at the five-yard line or three extra points at the ten-yard line.
Kickoffs: Kickoffs will resemble the USFL’s more traditional-style play. They will take place from the 20-yard line of the kicking team. A kickoff out of bounds will give possession to the receiving team 30 yards from the spot of the kickoff or at the spot where the ball went out of bounds. A kickoff that is untouched by the receiving team may only be recovered by the kicking team up to 20 yards from the spot of the kick.
Touchbacks: All touchbacks on kicks (punts or kickoffs) will be placed at the receiving team’s 25-yard line. Any punt that goes out of bounds inside the receiving team’s 25-yard line will be considered a touchback and placed at the 25-yard line. Non-kicking touchbacks will also be placed at the 25-yard line.
Alternate Possession Option: Teams will have a chance to retain the ball after scoring in the fourth quarter by converting a fourth-and-12 rather from their own 28-yard line rather than attempting to recover an onside kick. That said, onside kicks are legal still.
Two Forward Passes: Teams will be allowed to throw two forward passes on one play. The ball cannot cross the line of scrimmage at any time prior to the second forward pass being thrown. Both the XFL and USFL had a variation of this rule last year.
Overtime: Overtime rules resemble more of a hockey shootout. Teams will have three chances to score as many times from the five-yard line. The team with the most scores in those three wins the game. If it remains tied after three attempts each, the teams will continue with additional rounds until a winner is decided.
There are also some new formalities in replay reviews and coaches challenges this upcoming season. For a look at the full UFL rulebook, click here.
2024 UFL Regular Season Schedule
Week 1
Saturday, March 30
Birmingham Stallions at Arlington Renegades, 12 pm (FOX)
St. Louis Battlehawks at Michigan Panthers, 3 pm (FOX)
Sunday, March 31
D.C. Defenders at San Antonio Brahmas, 11 am (ESPN)
Memphis Showboats at Houston Roughnecks, 2 pm (ESPN)
Week 2
Saturday, April 6
San Antonio Brahmas at Memphis Showboats, 11 am (ESPN)
Arlington Renegades at St. Louis Battlehawks, 7 pm (ABC)
Sunday, April 7
Birmingham Stallions at Michigan Panthers, 11 am (ESPN)
Houston Roughnecks at D.C. Defenders, 3 pm (FOX)
Week 3
Saturday, April 13
D.C. Defenders at Arlington Renegades, 12 pm (ESPN)
Memphis Showboats at Birmingham Stallions, 6 pm (FOX)
Sunday, April 14
Houston Roughnecks at Michigan Panthers, 11 am (ABC)
St. Louis Battlehawks at San Antonio Brahmas, 2 pm (ABC)
Week 4
Saturday, April 20
Memphis Showboats at St. Louis Battlehawks, 11:30 am (ABC)
D.C. Defenders at Birmingham Stallions, 6 pm (FOX)
Michigan Panthers at San Antonio Brahmas, 6 pm (FOX)
Sunday, April 21
Arlington Renegades at Houston Roughnecks, 1 pm (FS1)
Week 5
Saturday, April 27
San Antonio Brahmas at Arlington Renegades, 6 pm (FOX)
Birmingham Stallions at Houston Roughnecks, 6 pm (FOX)
Sunday, April 28
St. Louis Battlehawks at D.C. Defenders, 11 am (ESPN)
Michigan Panthers at Memphis Showboats, 2 pm (FOX)
Week 6
Saturday, May 4
Birmingham Stallions at Memphis Showboats, 11 am (ABC)
Houston Roughnecks at St. Louis Battlehawks, 2 pm (FOX)
Sunday, May 5
Arlington Renegades at Michigan Panthers, 12 pm (FOX)
San Antonio Brahmas at D.C. Defenders, 3 pm (FOX)
Week 7
Saturday, May 11
Memphis Showboats at Arlington Renegades, 12 pm (ESPN)
St. Louis Battlehawks at Birmingham Stallions, 3 pm (FOX)
Sunday, May 12
Michigan Panthers at D.C. Defenders, 11 am (ESPN)
San Antonio Brahmas at Houston Roughnecks, 2 pm (ESPN)
Week 8
Saturday, May 18
Memphis Showboats at Michigan Panthers, 3 pm (FOX)
Houston Roughnecks at Birmingham Stallions, 7 pm (ESPN2)
Sunday, May 19
D.C. Defenders at St. Louis Battlehawks, 11 am (ABC)
Arlington Renegades at San Antonio Brahmas, 3 pm (FOX)
Week 9
Saturday, May 25
St. Louis Battlehawks at Arlington Renegades, 11 am (ABC)
Birmingham Stallions at San Antonio Brahmas, 2 pm (ABC)
Sunday, May 26
D.C. Defenders at Memphis Showboats, 1:30 p.m. (FOX)
Michigan Panthers at Houston Roughnecks, 1:30 p.m. (FOX)
Week 10
Saturday, June 1
Michigan Panthers at Birmingham Stallions, 11 am (ESPN)
San Antonio Brahmas at St. Louis Battlehawks, 3 pm (FOX)
Sunday, June 2
Arlington Renegades at D.C. Defenders, 11 am (ABC)
Houston Roughnecks at Memphis Showboats, 6 pm (FOX)
Conference Championship Games
Saturday, June 8
Conference Championship, 3 p.m. (ABC)
Sunday, June 9
Conference Championship, TBA (FOX)
UFL Championship Game
Sunday, June 16
USFL Conference Champion vs. XFL Conference Champion, TBA (FOX)