Apr. 21—When the latest version of the United States Football League (USFL) debuted in Birmingham, Alabama, Richland High School Koby Bailey was in the 45,000-seat Protective Stadium on Saturday.
A University of Pittsburgh sophomore finance major, Bailey wasn't in the seats. Instead, he was busy in his role as an intern for the USFL.
Bailey reports to Daryl Johnston, the three-time Super Bowl winner with the Dallas Cowboys who now serves as executive vice president of football operations for the USFL. The fledgling league held its opening games of the season on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with all eight teams playing in Birmingham.
"It was fantastic. Opening day, all 45,000 seats were sold. They had 3.5 million television viewers," Bailey said during a telephone interview on Wednesday. "That's the highest of the other leagues that tried to (compete against) the NFL.
"The XFL (2020) had 3.3 million viewers and the AAF (2019) had 2.9 million during their debuts, so it was a little above those," Bailey said of other leagues to previously attempt to move into the professional football market dominated by the NFL. "I think it was a pretty successful first day."
Bailey performs numerous roles on the sideline and in the locker room, both on game days and practices throughout the week.
"I'm usually there 9 to 5 on the weekdays and I'll do anything from making sure everything is right for the players, from setting up refrigerators, making sure the Gatorade is there, whatever the trainers need, whatever the strength guys need," Bailey said.
"On game days, I'm helping out the equipment guys and shagging balls for the kickers and punters. Also, there are iPads on the sidelines and I have to make sure those are distributed to the players when they get off the field."
Bailey said plans call for him to remain in Birmingham through the regular season, which concludes on June 16. The postseason will be held in Canton, Ohio.
"I'm finishing my classes for Pitt virtually until the end of the semester," said Bailey, a former standout on the Richland football team coached by his father, Brandon Bailey. "This is an internship with USFL operations. I'm going to be here until the end of June.
"The playoffs and the championship will be in Ohio. I don't know if I will travel to that, but 100% I know I'm going to be in Birmingham until June."
So, how did he get to Birmingham?
"It was just an application that was online," Bailey said.