January 1975

Potential investors met with Hemmeter during World Bowl week and will meet again this week when Hemmeter comes to Birmingham.

February 1975

	A.E. "Pee Wee" Burgess

"There is much work to be done yet but I believe we can do it. The city proved it wanted pro football last year, proved it with its support, and we can't afford not to get things going again," Burgess said.

The group will evaluate the franchise's $2 million of debt before deciding what course to take.

Weil indicates that Putnam and the Americans are out of the picture for Birmingham. "First of all, I want to stress that we have nothing to do with the old regime. What we like to say its a new ball game. We're going to negotiate with players, coaches and creditors in an attempt to make arrangements to clean up the debts. However, the new group is not liable for any past debts because it did not incur them. But we're not going to turn our backs on our business friends," Weil said.

Fan support will be critical to the city's future, and not just in football. "We're looking down the road at hockey, basketball and possibly baseball on a major league scale, and if we don't support this football team we have no chance of getting the others," Weil said.

Putnam announces from his office in Atlanta, Georgia that he is still very much in the picture for the Americans to return to Birmingham. "I am actively pursuing relocation of the team. I am talking to a couple of cities, which I can't name at the present time. There is still a remote possibility I could get the Americans financed and stay in Birmingham, but negotiations going on over there the past few weeks make it virtually impossible," Putnam said.

Weil says his financial group isn't concerned with Putnam. "We're not going after the franchise Mr. Putnam had. We don't want it. Ours is a new franchise. We'll have a new name and new policies. We have nothing whatsoever to do with Mr. Putnam. Legally, the franchise has never been taken from Alabama Football, Inc. I have attended every meeting of the World Football League and there has never been a motion passed, or introduced, to take the franchise. As far as I'm concerned, Alabama Football still owns the Birmingham Americans," Weil said.

Putnam, however, says he made a deal with Hemmeter in December that all creditors and back salaries of players, coaches and staff would be taken care of by Putnam. "Apparently, that's not the route they're taking, but that's the agreement I made with Hemmeter December 7th. What's going on in Birmingham is a complete turnaround from my understanding. I was more or less led to believe I would get another franchise in the WFL. But this has not been the case. I haven't heard from Hemmeter in three weeks, though I have been trying to contact him," Putnam said.

Weil isn't at all concerned with Putnam's claims. "I don't know about the old franchise. It probably belongs to the Internal Revenue Service or somebody. The players belong to the league, the way I understand it. But we have nothing to do with Mr. Putnam. What he does and what he owes is his business, " Weil said.

March 1975

Gotta showed his love for the name by saying, "The Birmingham Vulcans is everything we could have hoped for in a name for our new team. It personifies strength and civic pride."

In discussing Gotta's status, Weil said that even though they don't have a signed contract with Gotta there is an "understanding" with him.

Weil also went on to say that they league would assume some of the Americans debts, as well as debts of the other league cities. "The Vulcans will have no part of it other than through team assessments paid to the league. This franchise has no connection with the old franchise. These are all new people putting their money in it. If we can't support pro football, we'll never support any other professional sport," Weil said.

Gotta explained his reasons for the move by saying, "The major problems right now are not on the field. The problems of having a team in '75 started in the shower after the World Bowl. I threw my baseball cap away that night. If we had some football people in the new organization, I'd stay on as general manger and head coach, but there are no football people on board. I'm not frustrated coaching. I love coaching football. I know I have the background a job of this magnitude needs."

The Vulcans didn't look far for a replacement for Gotta. Marvin Bass, former Birmingham Americans defensive coordinator, is named head coach of the Vulcans. Bass began his coaching career at William & Mary in 1944. In 1949, he moved to the University of North Carolina before returning to William & Mary as head coach in 1951. The next year, Bass moved to professional football when he joined the National Football League's Washington Redskins. However, Bass moved back to the University of North Carolina as defensive coordinator in 1953. He remained there until moving to a position at Georgia Tech in 1960. In 1961, he became head coach at South Carolina and in 1962 he assumed the duties of athletic director as well. In 1966 he returned to professional football when he joined the Canadian Football League's Montreal Beavers as their head coach and general manager. In 1968 he joined the NFL's Buffalo Bills until quitting in 1972 to become the defensive coordinator for the Birmingham Americans.

Gotta thinks the new team will be in good hands with Bass at the helm. "Marvin coached me my first year in Canada, at Calgary, and I never forgot the man. I have always made it a point to stay in touch, and he was the first coach I contacted when I came to Birmingham," Gotta said.

Bass is excited to take the reins from Gotta. "It's going to be a tough act to follow after the season we had last year, but I'm really looking forward to it. I love it in Birmingham," Bass said.

Also, former Birmingham Americans quarterback Matthew Reed becomes the first player signed by the Vulcans.

April 1975

The league will be operating as a new corporation known as The New League, Inc., which will be doing business as the World Football League in 1975. The new corporation is an entirely new entity and has no ties to the old corporation. However, since The New League, Inc. purchased the rights to use the WFL name and logo for $10,000, it feels some moral obligation to the creditors the old organization owed. In the next twelve years, The New League, Inc. will pay roughly 1.5% of ticket sales and television revenue to those creditors under a court-administered agreement. "I believe the creditors will accept it, otherwise they simply will get no money if the old league goes into bankruptcy," Hemmeter said.

Chris Hemmeter is also named president of the WFL and "The Hemmeter Plan" is formally adopted. The Hemmeter Plan is a revolutionary approach to team expenses. Basically, the plan is to try and turn as many of a team's costs into "variable costs", which would be based as a percentage on the team's revenue. The Hemmeter Plan allocates 42% to player and coaches salaries, 3% to an injured reserve pool, 10% to stadiums and 6% to the league. The remaining 39% will be applied to non-variable areas such as office rent, front office salaries, telephone cost, etc. Each team has agreed to $545,000 in a working capital account to insure fixed costs for three years are covered in advance. In regards to player salaries, the better a team does at the gate, the higher salary each player will receive. However, if a team wishes to pay a player or players more than the base salary, they must escrow the money in advance to assure it will be available to the player if something happens to the franchise.

Also, the Birmingham Vulcans are officially given permission to participate in the 1975 season by the WFL's Board of Governors.

One of the biggest rumors currently floating around New York is the Chicago franchise is trying to sign former University of Alabama and New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath to a long term contract. The offer most reported is staggering; $500,000 upon signing, $500,000 for the next three years and $100,000 yearly for twenty years. After playing a year or more, Namath would also be offered half of any WFL franchise placed in the city of New York. Namath made history in 1965 when he signed with the American Football League for $400,000.

At a league meeting in Memphis, Hemmeter announces that Portland has secured proper financing and has  officially joined the league for 1975. 

Hemmeter also announces the WFL will be presenting Joe Namath's attorney with a certified check for $500,000 to lure the NFL star to the WFL. "I think this is the most historic day in the WFL's history. We've been building a launching pad that we knew was strong, and this marks the successful firing and liftoff of this league," Hemmeter said.

May 1975

Also, the gold football with orange stripes will be abandoned for a traditional color scheme.

Joe Namath turns down the lucrative offer from the WFL. "I feel badly about not signing. Everybody was excited about it. I decided not to accept the offer because of the reasons stated... personal and private. Maybe in the future I can elaborate on my personal reason, but right now I don't want to discuss it and don't feel I have to," Namath said.

Gotta thinks the NFL might have secretly entered the picture after the NFL's New York Jets lost college superstar Anthony Davis to the WFL's Southern California Sun on Wednesday. "Davis is a star of the future and the Jets lost him. If they had lost Namath, too, it could have ruined them at the gate. It's just my opinion, but the NFL may have jumped in there screaming for the Jets to keep Namath in New York at all costs," Gotta said.

June 1975

The "Italian Stallion" was an All-American when he played for Banks high school and went on to become a two time college All-American at Alabama. After playing for the Crimson Tide in 1969 through 1971, Musso played for two years in the Canadian Football League with the British Columbia Lions. 

Gotta said he wanted Musso on the team last year with the Birmingham Americans, but he was unable to get him. This year, Musso entered an option season in his contract and Gotta was able to pull quite a few strings to bring him back home. "It is with a lot of deep emotion that I'm here tonight. I want to thank Coach Gotta for getting me here. His contacts in the CFL were responsible for getting me out this year," Musso said.

Musso won't have much time to adjust to the heat. Training camp opens in Marion, Alabama tomorrow.

August 1975

September 1975

Discussions were held about making the WInds a road team but the idea was rejected as being too costly. All remaining Winds players will be distributed among the remaining franchises.

The league now has ten teams which will make any playoff plans easier to implement. However, the folding of the WInds will certainly put a considerable financial strain on the remaining franchises as they are collectively required to repay any debts the Winds have.

October 1975

There are two main reasons the league is in financial trouble; no network television contract and lower attendance across the league. No team is averaging over 20,000 although Birmingham and Memphis are close.

The three options the league has is to fold the worst two franchises, financially prop up the two franchises the rest of the year or fold the league.

San Antonio recently asked their players to take a pay cut. Philadelphia, Jacksonville and Portland are expected to do the same shortly.

Hemmeter said the key decision is not 1975 but for 1976 and beyond. "If there isn't hope for '76, our interest in '75 will terminate. We are exploring all directions to save the league. We just don't want it to go down the drain," Hemmeter said.

In order to continue, WFL members were assessed $300,000 last weekend to keep the Portland franchise afloat.

Some owners wanted to fold the Philadelphia and Portland franchises, the league's poorest attended teams, and continue to play. The proposal was voted down. Birmingham led the league in attendance, averaging 23,000 during their seven home games.

Another proposal was to allow Birmingham, Memphis and Southern California to immediately take part in a championship playoff series. This was rejected as well.

WFL commissioner Chris Hemmeter admitted that his Hemmeter Plan failed to provide the most basic necessity of all... how to attract fans to the games to generate revenue.

Birmingham Vulcans general manager Jack Gotta left this morning for Memphis where he will meet with Southmen owner John Bassett to formulate a plan for a two franchise request for the NFL. "I think our chances of getting in the NFL are the best of any city in America which doesn't have a franchise already. We have all the necessary ingredients... ownership, the greatest fans in football and a stadium that seats 70,000. The last two years have proved people here will support professional football. The fact we did close down in October means we will make application for the 1976 season, but we're not in control of anything and we'll have to abide by whatever timetable the NFL decides on," Gotta said.

George Siebels, Birmingham's Mayor, announces he will telegraph the NFL's Commissioner, Pete Rozelle, immediately to petition entry to the league.

Vulcans head coach Marvin Bass said, "I don't look at it as an ending. I look at it as the beginning of something big. I'm psychic in some ways and that's the way I feel."

Epilogue

While no official announcement was ever made by the league, level-headed and honest fans agree that the Birmingham Vulcans were the 1975 World Football League Champions. This is due to the fact that the Vulcans were leading the league in victories and had beaten the second best team, the Memphis Southmen, twice.

Burgess and the other Vulcans' board members join forces with Memphis owner John Bassett for a push to secure a spot in the National Football League. This effort proves unfruitful.

Two minor league football teams would provide some entertainment over the next few years, each a member of the American Football Association, and each lasting for a single season. In 1979, the Alabama Vulcans formed and while they had success on the field. A few former WFL players, coaches and owners had joined the league with varying success. The Alabama Magic appeared, and disappeared, in 1982.

Major league football would not return to the city until 1983, when the United States Football League's Birmingham Stallions kicked off their first of three seasons.