As Colleges Cut Sports, Will Cities Lose? - Sam Sturgis, the Atlantic City Lab

"We are not New York City. We're not a tier-one city. We're not even a tier-two city," Marcus Lundy, Jr., a local councilman privy to the bid told me recently. "However, we are the best small city in the world... The world is paying attention to Birmingham." But Birmingham's reputation as a budding sports town took a major hit recently. Last month, facing serious budget constraints, University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) shut down its football program. The controversial decision shocked the community. And now residents are grappling with the fallout: The city's most recognizable sports team is gone and its largest sports facility has suddenly been left without a permanent tenant. http://www.citylab.com/design/2015/01/as-colleges-cut-sports-will-cities-lose/384627/