Rep. Jack Williams wins #FREEUAB fight

By
Apryl Marie Fogel
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23
24
Photo credit AP

According to Associated Press reports detailed below, UAB is set to announce at 4 p.m. that they are bringing back football.

While this is a win for the schools athletic program as a whole no one can discount the role that Rep. Jack Williams played in keeping the heat turned up on the #FreeUAB fight.

Williams was a relentless fighter for program constantly pushing for its reinstatement and questioning the timing and reasons behind it’s abrupt ending.

Alabama Today has reached out to Williams and will update this story with more details as they become available.

From the AP:

UAB President Ray Watts is bringing the football program back.

Watts told The Associated Press that he decided on Monday morning to reverse the earlier decision after meetings with UAB supporters continued through the weekend. He says donors have pledged to make up the estimated $17.2 million deficit over the next five years if football is restored.

Watts was scheduled to announce the decision to reinstate football, bowling and rifle in 2016 later Monday. He cut the programs last December after UAB commissioned a report saying it would cost $49 million over five years to field a competitive program.

Watts says they have dropped an indoor practice facility from that equation, but are still raising about $13 million toward a turf practice field and new fieldhouse.

Without football, UAB would have likely not have remained in Conference USA.

AP content contained within this post is republished with permission of the Associated Press.

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