Tuscaloosa Mayor Prefers Alabama Ending A-Day Spring Games

The future of Alabama's A-Day spring football game is uncertain as Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox expressed a preference for discontinuing the event due to significant logistical and security challenges. Attendance plummeted in 2025 when head coach Kalen DeBoer shifted from the traditional scrimmage format to an open practice, drawing only 10,000 to 15,000 fans compared to over 72,000 the previous year. Maddox noted that while he once supported A-Day, the current demands on city resources and public safety concerns, particularly overcrowding and incidents near The Strip, make the event problematic. Other major college football programs have also modified or canceled their spring games in 2025, reflecting broader changes in the tradition. Although no official statement has been made by DeBoer or athletic director Greg Byrne regarding A-Day's future, Maddox doubts the event will return in its previous form for at least another 10 to 20 years. The city now favors focusing on University of Alabama events that require less security and logistical support.