The University of Alabama - Birmingham (UAB) football team may not play a game next season, but the school is fully expected reinstate the team.
Nearly six months to the date after UAB President Ray Watts announced the team's discontinuation, an unnamed source told ESPN, he will reverse his decision. Watts and UAB Athletic Director Mark Ingram are expected to make the announcement at a press conference at 4 p.m. CT/5 p.m. ET.
UAB has not confirmed the purpose of the press conference, but unnamed sources also told AL.com and CBS Sports Watts is expected to announce a reinstatement for the football team.
You can follow along online here, via live updates on AL.com.
Additionally, Watts is expected to bring back the school's women's bowling and rifle teams, which were shuttered alongside football Dec. 2, as well. At the time, Watts indicated UAB was not making enough profits on the three teams to keep them alive. Multiple studies conducted since suggested the football team would in fact turn a profit if reinstated.
The decision to cancel the football team incited outrage, but community members banded together afterward to raise money and support for a return for the Blazers.
Justin Craft, chair of the UAB Athletics Assessment Task Force, once played football at UAB and said fundraising efforts were wildly successful and needed little promotion. He told ESPN the task force raised $27 million, $7.5 million of which was granted on the condition UAB build a new stadium on campus.
"The city has rallied around the program," Craft said. "It has truly become Birmingham's team. The first step is the support, but the second step is to invest."
ESPN reported UAB would probably not be playing football this season, but that the school is targeting a return to the Conference USA the following season. Many UAB football players from last season transferred and coach Bill Clark is only willing to return if the situation is handled "the right way."
