Mike Repole‘s motto is, “Think big; dream bigger.”
That’s why the billionaire entrepreneur is bringing a United Football League team to Louisville.
“I’ve always thought that this was a great market for a pro team,” said Repole, who in July joined the UFL’s ownership group as the leader of its business operations. “My experience of being in Kentucky for the last 20 years definitely swayed me to look at it as a market; and the more I researched, the more it made sense.”
Starting next year, the Louisville Kings will call Lynn Family Stadium in Butchertown home. The city is one of three new markets in the eight-team spring football league — joining Columbus, Ohio, and Orlando, Florida, in replacing the Memphis Showboats, the Michigan Panthers and the San Antonio Brahmas.
The UFL is entering its third season. It debuted in 2024, when the United States Football League merged with the XFL. Teams will practice at the league’s headquarters in Arlington, Texas, but Repole said they could spend up to 10 days at a time in their local markets during stretches of back-to-back home games.
Repole, who’s best known around Louisville for owning Kentucky Derby favorites such as Uncle Mo, Forte and Fierceness, told The Courier Journal he had been eyeing the UFL “for almost two years” before joining its ownership group this past summer — teaming up with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Now that he’s in the thick of it, the Queens, New York, native has no plans to slow down anytime soon.
“I think the stars are aligning for spring football to make it,” he said. “There’s a reason why people have kept trying it for 40 years. When I decided to do a sports drink versus Gatorade, people said, ‘Well, people tried that for 50 years and no one made it.’ BODYARMOR became the No. 2 sports drink. I always say, ‘Think big; dream bigger.'”
The Courier Journal went in depth with Repole about his decision to bring a UFL team to Louisville and his goals for the league moving forward. Here’s what he had to say. Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Why Louisville?
“One thing that’s always a priority is the market. Does it have a pro team? Does it not have a pro team? How many pro teams does it have? Once you get over, ‘Does the market fit?’ then for me the next criteria was: stadium. If Lynn Family Stadium wasn’t available, we wouldn’t be in the market.
“I wouldn’t want to play in (L&N Stadium) and have 15,000 fans in a stadium that fits 55,000. There’s no fan experience; there’s no community experience.
“Ten years ago, many of these venues didn’t even exist. Thanks to the growth of the MLS, the NWSL and the USL, these stadiums have been built. Dealing with (LouCity Chairman and CEO) John Neace, he’s been great; his team has been great. They’ve welcomed us, and we’re excited about five home games in Louisville in the spring and selling that stadium out.
“… It’s up to us (to engage) the local community with approachable, accessible, family friendly, fun football. For me, Louisville is pretty easy. I have 300 horses, and I’ve won some great races at Churchill; and there are a lot of people in Louisville who root for Repole Stable — and there are a lot of people in Louisville who want me to come in last every time, too. Hopefully, whether they love me in horse racing or not, they show up to the football games and don’t hold that against me.”
How did you come up with the team name?
“I have the Stallions in Birmingham; I couldn’t use that. Then, there’s a small little team in Indianapolis called the Colts that (wouldn’t allow) the Louisville Colts. So the Kings was — they always say, ‘Horse racing is the sport of kings.’ The logo’s got the horse with a king’s crown. Kentucky is horse country, right?
“I thought Louisville Sluggers would have been good, too, but I’m not sure the bat company would have been for it.”
Where will the Louisville Kings’ players come from?
“It’s almost similar to college football nowadays, where almost everyone’s a free agent. We only have one-year contracts. Our goal is to be a developmental league for these players. When I spoke to Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson about being a partner, he said, ‘Mike, I see this as a league of opportunity.’ The one thing (I’ll say) when I address all the teams in Arlington in February is, ‘I want this to be your last year in the United Football League. I want you guys in the National Football League.’
“… We’re going to hire some great teachers and mentors, coaches who have tremendous experience, to really coach and mentor; and then we’re going to hire some up-and-coming young coaches who are looking for a chance — or maybe a second chance. To me, this is a developmental league that’s going to be really incredible quality. Listen, for these players, if your goal is to make the NFL, this league is for you. If your goal is just to collect a paycheck for 12 weeks, then you need to go work somewhere else. This is still about, ‘Think big and dream bigger.’ … I think the fans are really going to appreciate the quality and the effort that they’re going to see; because this is an opportunity for these guys — if you didn’t get drafted, to still make it or, if you were a second-round pick and it didn’t work out, this is your last chance.
“… I definitely want to have a bunch of local, regional heroes who played at the University of Louisville or played at the University of Kentucky so the fan base is very familiar with these names. They were great college players and just didn’t make it in the NFL, or they just didn’t get drafted or they got drafted and cut the last day. (This is) an opportunity for these players to come back and play in front of a familiar fan base. That’s going to be a very important factor in how we build the league in Louisville.
“… One thing we’re working on right now, we haven’t finalized it, is we’re going to pick — I don’t know if it’s going to be a 50-mile radius or a 100-mile radius — but, within that zone: Columbus should have Ohio State players. Louisville should have the U of L and UK players. (There will be) some advantages where, if a player is in your regional market and played last year at that school, you would have the first option. But it’s basically free agency.”
How will you measure success for the Louisville Kings, the UFL in your first season as part of the ownership group?
“It’s about (being) patiently aggressive. We have aggressive dreams and aggressive goals but have to get there patiently. For me right now: We’re a national football league, but really it’s about the eight local markets and making them successful — making sure we connect with the community and the fans and give them an affordable, approachable experience. Five tickets to the Louisville Kings won’t cost $1,000. They’ll be $200, and you’re going to get entertained and there’ll be a ton of fan engagement making it fun and getting to know the players.
“… If we connect with the local markets and these stadiums, I think the product on television is going to look great and sound great. The quality of the football is already there. … We’re called the United Football League for a reason; we’re looking to unite the community. Players are looking to unite and try to get to the next level, and everybody’s out there to try to help one another, which I think is a great goal and needed in this country right now.”
Reach Louisville men’s basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Why Mike Repole is bringing UFL team to Louisville
