If the United States Football League sounds familiar then you are old enough to witness the rise and fall of the league in the 1980s.The USFL came with a bang, but like most leagues that try to compete with the NFL they find out how hard to is to get the business up and running financially. There are so many pieces that must come together for a pro football league to work.
Most of the early franchisees found it difficult to lock down a venue in cities that already held NFL teams. We can all agree that almost all of the NFL franchises are in major cities, the same cities the USFL was targeting to place their franchises. The NFL is a fall league and the USFL had their eyes set on the spring/summer to prevent competition with the NFL.
The other issue that hindered the league was the lack of a hard salary cap. Major League Baseball currently doesn’t have a hard salary cap. Although it is working for the MLB, which is the oldest sports league in America, the USFL did not manage it too well. Owners were offering ridiculous amounts of money to lurer top talent, but at the cost of sustainability.
While the product on the field looked great, the financial back end took a huge hit. With this next go round for the USFL, we’re hoping to see a league that will be able to sustain it self. Last year, the XFL, another pro football league, attempted to do the same thing. It too went into financial crisis in its first year. Ultimately, the league did not complete the full schedule.
USFL Round 2
Whoever said second chance don’t come around didn’t know the USFL. Tuesday, February 22, 2022 will go down in history for the USFL. The league held their lottery draft that saw many former college football stars hear their names being called. Players like former Michigan Wolverine quarterback Shea Patterson who was the first player selected in the draft.
The league will consist of eight franchises that will play a 10-game regular season schedule beginning in April. The playoffs will be played in Canton, Ohio; the home of the NFL Hall of Fame. The USFL has the opportunity to be the NFL’s developmental league or second chance league. Many players who didn’t get a good look from the NFL when they were in college can use the film from the USFL as another opportunity to get picked by the NFL.
Like I always say, only time will tell if the second go round for the USFL will be a success.