United States Football League (2022)

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This article is about the second league calling itself the USFL. For the original USFL from the 80's, see United States Football League.

United States Football League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2022 USFL season
United States Football League (2022) logo.png
SportAmerican football
Inaugural season2022
Owner(s)National Spring Football League Enterprises Co, LLC[1]
CEOBrian Woods
No. of teams8
CountryUnited States
TV partner(s)
Related
competitions		The Spring League
Official websiteUSFL2.com

The United States Football League (USFL) is a planned professional American football league scheduled to start in April 2022. It was first announced June 2021 that the league will have the same name as a defunct league which was founded in 1982 and played three seasons from 1983 through 1985.

Fox Sports owns the league and reportedly has committed $150 million–$200 million over three years to its operations,[2][3] with plans to attract additional $250 million from investors.[4]

Connection to 1980's USFL[]

There is no legal connection between the new entity and the former league which ceased operations in 1986 and was officially dissolved in 1990.[citation needed] No principals from the former USFL are involved in the current league's ownership; Brian Woods, who had previously launched the Fall Experimental Football League and The Spring League, is the primary owner of the new league and acquired most of the trademarks after the last attempt to revive them, the A-11 Football League, let them go dormant after its own failed launch in 2014. The new USFL will not inherit the old USFL's unpaid liabilities, nor its television contract; it will instead hold a new contract with Fox Sports, which already owns both the rights to and an equity stake in The Spring League.

According to , former USFL executive director, he still owns the league rights and that the "USFL still exists", while stating that the league officials still get monthly royalty checks. He also mentioned that he refused previous attempts to "buy" the league, "including the people who founded the first version of the XFL".[5] Ehrhart would later explain that he was only "trying to protect the league legacy".[6]

Teams[]

The league announced the 2022 season will be played "with minimum of eight teams".[7] In addition to obtaining the rights to the USFL name and logo, the new league has obtained the rights to the aforementioned former league's team names including the Los Angeles Express, Chicago Blitz, Tampa Bay Bandits, and Houston Gamblers and more.[8][9] Additionally, the Generals rights are owned by The Spring League, another Woods entity. Since its original announcement, the USFL had purchased more trademarks including new teams names like the Birmingham Stallions, Jacksonville Bulls and Portland Breakers, and variations on the already existing trademarks. The eight teams were officially announced on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on November 22, 2021.[10]

North Division

South Division

  • Michigan Panthers.jpg
  • New Jersey Generals.jpg
  • Philadelphia Stars 2022.jpg
  • Pittsburgh Maulers.jpg
  • Birmingham Stallions.jpg
  • Houston Gamblers.jpg
  • New Orleans Breakers.jpg
  • Tampa Bay Bandits.jpg

2022 season[]

On October 12, 2021, it was published that the league is in serious discussion with the city of Birmingham, Alabama about the possibility of the USFL playing all of its games in the city. According to initial information, Birmingham will be responsible for housing the players during the season at the price of about $15 million (47,000 hotel nights), while the league would play the bubble season at Protective Stadium and Legion Field.[11][12]

The proposal includes an eight-team 10-week season with two additional playoff rounds, from April 15 through July 3, 2022, with the broadcast proposal as follows: 25% on Fox, 25% on NBC, 25% on FS1 and 25% on USA. Later on December 15, 2021, Fox and NBC had finalized their agreement. In addition to their broadcasts on TV, the latter was announced that some of the games will be streamed on Peacock (with 17 games split simulcasting between NBC and USA, while the 4 other games will be streaming exclusively on said service).[13][14][15]

References[]

  1. ^ "USFL, BJCC reach tentative MOU to bring relaunch season to Birmingham". AL.com. October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "After decades dormant, USFL to relaunch in '22". ESPN.com. June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  3. ^ "USFL proposes hosting relaunch season in Birmingham in Spring 2022". AL.com. October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  4. ^ "Potential economic boom in store for Alabama with 'unprecedented' Fox Sports USFL proposal".
  5. ^ "Did the new spring football league get permission to use the USFL name?".
  6. ^ "Former USFL Exec Steve Ehrhart Clarifies League Name & Logo Statement".
  7. ^ "USFL to Return in Spring 2022 with at Least 8 Teams; Will Be Broadcast on Fox Sports".
  8. ^ "U.S. FOOTBALL LEAGUE PLANNING COMEBACK AFTER 37 YEARS ... 2022 Return!!!". TMZ. June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  9. ^ "Based on Trademarks Which USFL Teams Could We See Return In 2022".
  10. ^ "USFL Unveils Team Cities, Nicknames and Logos for 2022 Debut".
  11. ^ "BJCC officials in discussions to host all United States Football League games in Birmingham". CBS42. October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  12. ^ "WATCH: Gene Hallman talks possibility of USFL coming to Birmingham". CBS42. October 14, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  13. ^ "USFL proposes hosting relaunch season in Birmingham in Spring 2022". WVTM13. October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  14. ^ "USFL possibly returning to Birmingham". WBRC6. October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  15. ^ "USFL Reaches Media Rights Agreement with NBC Sports" (Press release). NBC Sports. December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021 – via The Futon Critic.
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