Over the years, college football’s spring games have been on the decline, with over 25 major conference teams opting out this offseason due to issues such as transfer portal complications and player management.

In 2025, Alabama proceeded with a modified A-Day game, focusing on positional drills instead of traditional gameplay. However, Tuscaloosa’s mayor, Walt Maddox, has expressed his desire to cancel future A-Day events altogether, citing significant security and logistical challenges these events pose for the city.

“From the city standpoint, I can’t believe it. Twenty years ago, if you would have asked me, ‘Would you want to have A-Day?’ I’d say, ‘Yes,’ today, I would say, with all the surrounding issues, I think it’s better for us not to have A-Day and focus on UA-generated events not demanding extensive security and logistical resources,” Maddox stated to The Tuscaloosa News.

Staffing challenges during A-Day, where attendance dropped to an estimated 10,000-15,000—down 60,000 from the previous year—reinforce this viewpoint.

In the changing landscape of college football, not all programs are abandoning their spring games; some are pivoting to fan events to reduce player scrutiny during the spring transfer portal window. This trend is echoed by programs like Nebraska, who opted for a fan event instead of the standard scrimmage, with coach Matt Rhule vocal about post-scrimmage tampering issues.

Moreover, prestigious programs like Florida State, USC, LSU, and Texas have also scrapped their spring games this year. Given these developments, the future of A-Day hangs in the balance, as Maddox reflects on its ongoing evolution, predicting that it may not return to its former glory anytime soon.