The Hustler's Digest StaffThe United States Football League is a professional football league that was reincarnated in 2022. But precisely what is the USFL? How big of a football league does it have the potential to be? Will the USFL be able to compete with the likes of the NFL? Read this article to find out all you need to know about the newly inaugurated professional league of football.
Introduction
The first USFL debuted in 1983 and was widely regarded as the NFL’s most serious opponent during the previous 50 years. The USFL saw rapid expansion in the 1980s, and it persuaded top college players, such as BYU quarterback Steve Young and Tennessee defensive end Reggie White, to play in the league rather than the NFL.
With its final game being played on June 24, 1985, the spring league would only endure three seasons. The original USFL was forced to disband for several reasons, but former President Donald Trump, who bought the New Jersey Generals in 1984, has received much blame for it.
Although the USFL ultimately prevailed in the lawsuit, it was only given $3 in damages, which was a terrible conclusion for the USFL owners who had staked their futures on a huge settlement. After the outcome, several teams filed for bankruptcy, and the league ultimately decided to stop running. In 2010, there were plans to revive the USFL, but no games were ever held.
It was revealed on June 3, 2021, that the United States Football League would come back and play its first season in April 2022. The only similarities to the first iteration of the USFL’s gameplay will be the use of the league’s name, team monikers, and logos. Read on to learn what the USFL is, how big it can get in competition with the other leagues, and what prospects the USFL holds for itself in the future.
What is the USFL?
One of the most popular sports in the US and worldwide is football. Millions of people watch the most recent games online and at live events. Unquestionably, the NFL remains the top league in professional football because it draws the best players, generates the most news coverage, and has the most well-liked teams. This is mainly due to the sheer entertainment value it provides for fans, but it has also benefited from the NFL’s prior monopoly on professional US football.
But what is the USFL? USFL is short for United States Football League and is called USFL for ease. It is a United States-based professional football league tournament. There are now eight teams in it, distributed across the Northern and Southern divisions. The USFL has a more extended history than that, despite the fact that it was only recently relaunched in 2022.
Currently, Brian Woods, the league’s founder, and Fox Sports in the United States, a division of the Fox Corporation, own the league through National Spring Football League Enterprises Co, LLC. Despite the fact that the league is the legal owner of the former USFL’s trademarks—an organization that ran for three seasons in the middle of the 1980s—the current USFL is not formally affiliated with that body.
It was first tried in 1945, again in 1983, and again in 2010. This is the fourth time a league has been launched using the USFL name. With the AAF’s early shutdown and the second XFL’s COVID-19-caused delay, the league’s inaugural season saw it become the first high-level spring football league to finish a season since the first edition of the XFL.
History of USFL
Eight teams from the newly established United States Football League have played all of their regular-season games in Birmingham that began on April 16. Even though this is the first season of USFL, this league has a good amount of history to its name.
The inaugural USFL season took place in the spring of 1983. However, businessman David Dixon came up with the idea for the first time in 1965. To fill the void created by the NFL and college football’s offseasons, Dixon thought there was a market for a third league. Dixon took his time kicking off the USFL. Instead, he studied the American Football League and the World Football League for the next 15 years, as both were the NFL’s two main rivals.
For the USFL’s inaugural season, Dixon initially signed 12 cities. To pique the interest of television networks, he deliberately chose the major media markets. The USFL struck agreements with ABC and ESPN before its debut, guaranteeing at least one weekly nationally televised game. The USFL debuted with the original 12 teams despite several problems before the first season started.
What set of rules did the 80s USFL follow?
To strike a healthy balance, the USFL merged many of the same rules that the NFL utilized with college football regulations. The critical illustration was that the clock would stop following the first down after the two-minute warning but not before.
The two-point conversion was introduced into professional sports by the USFL. Only college football was playing when the two-point conversion was introduced. In addition, during its final season in 1985, the USFL instituted a rule challenge process.
What caused the league to fail?
Over the course of three years, the USFL faced instability. But this wasn’t much different from the early problems the NFL faced. The debate about shifting the league season to the fall marked the beginning of the league’s downfall.
The idea behind the move was to compel a merger between the NFL and USFL, much like the American Football League. The USFL owners, however, were not all in agreement, and a consulting group even suggested they stick with a spring schedule.
In 1984, the owners approved switching the schedule to the fall. This instantly led to more volatility. The Pittsburgh Maulers disbanded because they would have directly opposed the Steelers. Teams from New Orleans, Michigan, and Washington all had comparable difficulties while competing against NFL teams.
As a result, the league lost teams in some key markets immediately. Even generous offers from ABC and ESPN failed to persuade the remaining owners to maintain a spring schedule. In response to the “monopoly” the NFL had created concerning television rights and stadiums, the USFL filed an antitrust case against the NFL.
The result was a win for the USFL. But the $3 compensation was much less than they had anticipated. Three dollars, that’s right, yes, you read that right. To resume it again in 1987, the USFL opted to postpone the 1986 season. After the USFL’s appeal of the settlement was turned down, the remaining teams decided to disband the league.
Who were the most famous players in the USFL in the 80s?
Over the course of its three years, the USFL had some interesting players. Herschel Walker, a Heisman Trophy winner, played for the New Jersey Generals after college and won the MVP award in 1985. Walker would later play for more than ten years in the NFL.
Kelvin Bryant in 1983 and Jim Kelly in 1984 were the other two MVPs of the USFL’s first three seasons. Bryant went on to win Super Bowl XXII with the Washington Redskins, while Kelly spent a decade with the Buffalo Bills, leading them to four straight Super Bowls.
Eight USFL players, including Kelly, are inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Four of them are athletes, two are coaches, and two have front-office experience. The players were Kelly, Steve Young, Reggie White, and Gary Zimmerman. In the meantime, Sid Gillman and Bill Polian served as front office personnel, while George Allen and Marv Levy served as USFL coaches.
After the turbulent 80s, the USFL made a comeback in 2022, which was explicitly mentioned in the announcement made on the 3rd of June 2021. It was announced that there would be at least eight teams in the league in its return season, and Fox will be its official broadcast partner.
The USFL’s Exciting Return in 2022
The United States Football League announced its return on June 3, 2021, with the initial season set to begin in April 2022. Fox, a minority owner in the league, also revealed its involvement. Tad Snider, executive director of the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority, confirmed on October 12, 2021, that the league was in advanced discussions with the BJCC board of directors to host all games in Birmingham, Alabama.
The USFL plans to house players and personnel in Birmingham for the season, projecting an economic impact of $15 million through 47,000 hotel nights. They will play the season at Protective Stadium and Legion Field, operating within a “bubble.”
In the second season, the “bubble” may continue with up to four teams in Birmingham and the rest in their home cities. By the third season, all teams will play in their respective home cities.
The USFL’s comeback includes an eight-team, 10-week season from April 16 to July 3, 2022, followed by two playoff rounds. The broadcasting plan distributes coverage equally among Fox, NBC, FS1, and USA. Fox and NBC finalized their agreement on December 15, 2021, with NBC broadcasting nine games on NBC, eight on USA, and four on its streaming service Peacock.
On November 17, 2021, the league announced Brian Woods, founder of The Spring League, as president. Daryl Johnston will serve as EVP of football operations, Mike Pereira as head of officiating, and Edward Hartman as EVP of business operations.
NBC Sports reported on January 4, 2022, that a “player selection meeting” would take place on February 22 and 23. Training camp is scheduled to start on March 21. On January 6, 2022, four teams announced their head coaches and general managers on The Herd with Colin Cowherd.
Inaugural of USFL 2022
According to an announcement by the city of Birmingham on January 25, 2022, The 2022 USFL season’s games will be held at Protective Stadium and Legion Field. The league’s headquarters will also be located in Birmingham.
The inaugural contest occurred at Protective Stadium on April 16, 2022, between the Birmingham Stallions and the New Jersey Generals. It was the first football game to be simultaneously televised on over-the-air broadcast networks since the final week of the 2007 NFL regular season, when a game between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants aired on CBS, NBC, and cable NFL Network.
Fox and NBC broadcasted the game. Children under the age of 15 were allowed free of charge, and general admission tickets were $10 per person. Due to scheduling conflicts with the 2022 World Games, the league confirmed on February 16, 2022, that the 2022 Playoffs would take place in Canton, Ohio, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium rather than Birmingham.
The league unveiled the team outfits the next day, on February 17, 2022. The following day, the league released the 2022 USFL Draft order. Fox Sports informed Sports Business Journal on June 27, 2022, that the USFL would play another season in 2023. The league would continue to operate under its hub concept that year, with all eight clubs being housed in “two to four” different sites. There would be no expansion.
Connection of USFL 2022 to the 1980s USFL
The first United States Football League, which ran from 1983 to 1986 and was formally dissolved in 1990, is not legally related to the modern organization that bears its name. The Fall Experimental Football League and The Spring League were founded by Brian Woods, who was also the league’s original primary owner; none of the founding members of the former USFL are currently involved in the ownership of the current league.
As Fox Sports established a subsidiary, the National Spring Football League, to run the league, Woods had been relegated to a vice president position by October 2021. After the A-11 Football League, the most recent attempt to resurrect them, allowed them to fall dormant following its unsuccessful launch in 2014, the Spring League and then the NSFL acquired the majority of the USFL’s trademarks.
The new USFL holds a new contract with Fox Sports, which already owns both the rights to and an equity stake in The Spring League, as well as with NBC Sports; it does not inherit the former USFL’s unpaid liabilities or its television contract.
The “USFL still exists,” according to Steve Ehrhart, a former executive director of the USFL, who also claimed that league executives continue to receive monthly royalty payments. Ehrhart still controls the rights to the league. He added that he had previously turned down offers to “purchase” the league from those who had formed the original XFL. In a later statement, Ehrhart claimed that he was merely “trying to defend the league’s legacy.”
Rule and monitoring changes in the USFL
The USFL announced an initial set of rule changes it will put into place for its games on March 23, 2022. The league has altered its rules and made the following modifications. As a result, Fox and NBC will use drones for the first time in football game coverage. In one of the scrimmages, the drone showed a player’s running path by following him through the hole.
Additionally, two players from each squad will wear helmet cams. Helmet cameras recorded players blocking a punt and a defensive back intercepting a ball in the end zone during the scrimmages. The 32 players on each squad will wear microphones, and the coaches will all have access to the audio feeds during telecasts.
According to Fox Sports producer Chuck McDonald, “There are things that have never been explored before,” thus the technology will be advanced during the season. “Learning what’s fantastic will be the biggest learning curve,”
The innovation won’t be limited to broadcasts. Instead, the USFL will rely on a chip within the football to locate the ball rather than chain gangs. Hawkeye technology, used in tennis to determine whether a ball is inbounds, will be used on close plays for first downs to determine whether a player gained the requisite yards.
Teams can attempt a 3-point conversion from the 10-yard line following scores in addition to the extra point and 2-point conversion. Therefore, a game with an 18-point deficit is still considered to be within two possessions.
Teams will also have the option of running a fourth-and-12 play from the 33-yard line to make a first down and retain possession instead of attempting an onside kick. Most defensive pass interference calls will be 15 yards. It would be a spot foul if a defender intentionally tackles a receiver beyond 15 yards.
Players in the USFL
Compared to its predecessors, the USFL is more daring in building players. Each team could field a 52-man squad in the two most recent spring start-up leagues, the AAF and XFL. The USFL is considerably smaller because they have a 38-player active player restriction in addition to their seven-player practice squads.
Thus, teams in the USFL will only ever carry a total of 45 players. That might be a concern for clubs that struggle with injuries. Nevertheless, the smaller squad size can work in the players’ favor as they are almost sure to earn playing time due to the lack of players available for each team.
These team construction regulations have resulted in a total of 360 players in the USFL, although there may be more players in the entire player pool. In the USFL, a player can be signed by another club if a team releases him, precisely like in the NFL. As a result, players will be passed around to different teams throughout the season.
Teams playing in the USFL
The 2022 season will be played “with a minimum of eight teams,” the league declared. The Los Angeles Express, Chicago Blitz, Tampa Bay Bandits, and Houston Gamblers are just a few of the club names the new league has acquired, in addition to the rights to the USFL name and emblem.
The Spring League, another Woods organization, owns the rights to the Generals. The USFL has acquired more trademarks after its first announcement, including new club names such as the Birmingham Stallions, Jacksonville Bulls, and Portland Breakers, as well as alterations of the already-existing trademarks.
The newly created USFL consists of eight clubs divided into two divisions. The names of each team are identical to those from the original USFL. The league looks like
North Division
- Michigan Panthers
- New Jersey Generals
- Philadelphia Stars
- Pittsburgh Maulers
South Division
- Birmingham Stallions
- Houston Gamblers
- New Orleans Breakers
- Tampa Bay Bandits
One of the unique features of the new USFL is that the entire season will be played in Birmingham, Alabama, with the recently opened Protective Stadium (seats 47,100) and iconic Legion Field (71,574) serving as the venues. All teams will be based in the city or state their names originate from. The league had decided that teams would begin playing in their home markets in the upcoming season.
The USFL championship game results
Everything came together for the USFL’s first championship game, including ideal conditions, a large crowd, impressive plays, and—most importantly—an exciting contest between the top two teams in the league. The Birmingham Stallions, the league’s best team the whole season, were declared the winner of the evening after defeating the Philadelphia Stars 33-30.
Victor Bolden’s touchdown reception on a throw from quarterback Alex McGough, who was filling in for injured starter J’Mar Smith, gave the Stallions the lead for good after they had trailed 23-20 late. Later, linebacker Scooby Wright’s pick-six turned out to be the crucial play of the contest.
Philadelphia fought back with a late touchdown and played the remainder of the game with a backup quarterback when Case Cookus hurt his leg. However, the Stars’ demise was inevitable by a failed conversion attempt following the score and a last-second interception.
Is the USFL capable of competing with other leagues, like the NFL?
The main concern for this recently revived USFL is whether it can successfully compete with its more prestigious sibling, the NFL. The good news is that many compelling arguments support this possibility. The popularity of sports betting, especially on football, may draw spectators to the USFL to put bets on the games.
In the same way that betting on NFL games makes watching sports more entertaining and draws people, betting on USFL games may have a similar impact. This is something to think about, whether you’re betting on specific games or who might win the different USFL seasons.
Additionally, since it won’t be in direct competition with the NFL, this new professional football league may expand to be as significant. As we know, the NFL season runs at a completely different time of year than this competition. This indicates sufficient room for both to coexist and draw the same sizable following. It is understandable how NFL supporters may migrate to the USFL during the offseason and support its growth.
The USFL will include the same brutal action, exhilarating touchdowns, and dramatic moments as the NFL, which is one of the critical factors in thinking it can compete with the NFL. This will undoubtedly increase its appeal to football fans and aid in making headlines in the media.
How can the USFL struggle while competing with the likes of the NFL?
Now that we know what the USFL is all about and why it may compete with the NFL, we must consider why this might not happen. For many sports enthusiasts, the dismal history of this league is a huge source of anxiety. After all, attempts to form a rival to the NFL have previously failed. As a result, many people expect the same thing to happen again.
You also have to consider if the USFL will ever be able to compete in terms of headlines, prestige, and overall public acceptance. It will always be regarded as a sideshow and a league that will struggle to earn the same illustrious reputation if it cannot. This could potentially lead to the best players staying with the NFL, making the USFL a lower-quality competition.
Although the timing of this new competition may be advantageous, it may potentially turn off some football enthusiasts. After all, the offseason can be a nice break from the sport for some fans and includes events such as the NFL Draft. As a result, many people may also be unwilling to devote time to the USFL.
Conclusion
Prominent leagues like the NFL, AFL, and AAF have long captivated devoted audiences, establishing strong fan followings in the world of professional football. Their dominance has persisted for years, making it challenging for new leagues to alter this status quo.
However, the resurrected United States Football League (USFL) presents a promising contender. With innovative changes and a smaller roster, the USFL ensures that each player gets ample playtime. This feature could attract renowned and influential players, who might bring their fanbases with them. Watching how the USFL evolves over time will be fascinating.
