The USFL is back? Why?

[Spider]

USFL and XFL in talks to merge for 2024. Sucks for half the players and coaches, but seeing as how one league is probably one too many, two would've ended in tragedy.

One reporter speculates that DC, St. Louis, Arlington, San Antonio, Seattle are the safe XFL teams, and that the league could use the USFL's timeline that starts later in the spring. I imagine they probably want to keep the somewhat recognizable USFL names, even if the new USFL is that in name only. Maybe they'll increase the number of teams.

Right now Houston has both the Gamblers and the Roughnecks, and I would imagine one of them is either getting axed or moved, I don't think they'll have two teams in one city. The move to consolidate doesn't surprise me. The new Gamblers have never played in Houston, they've always been in a hub city. And the Roughnecks averaged just under 12,000 attendance per game. I'd rather the Gamblers are kept and played in Houston, they have better uniforms. LOL

 

[Skywalker]

I always figured if both made it past their first seasons then they would merge sooner or later. There might be room for a spring football league to find some success, but only one.

 

[Aragorn]

Merger has been announced. Subject to regulatory approval. Nothing else has been announced.
https://www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/38512887/spring-football-leagues-xfl-usfl-announce-plan-merge

 

[cardinal biggles]

So now what are we supposed to call it? XUSFL? USXFL? FLUXS?

 

[Aragorn]

So now what are we supposed to call it? XUSFL? USXFL? FLUXS?

It's being reported the USFL filed 22 trademark applications for NSFL and National Spring Football League.

 

[Chaos Descending]

It's being reported the USFL filed 22 trademark applications for NSFL and National Spring Football League.

I suspect the NFL might take exception to that.

Unless the NFL supports the spring leagues.

 

[BillJ]

So now what are we supposed to call it? XUSFL? USXFL? FLUXS?

USFL-X.

 

[Spider]

XFL/USFL merger is finalized & approved.

XFL will retain 4 teams:
Arlington Renegades
DC Defenders
San Antonio Brahmas
St Louis BattleHawks

USFL will retain 4 teams:
Birmingham Stallions
Houston Gamblers
Memphis Showboats
Michigan Panthers

 

[BillJ]

XFL/USFL merger is finalized & approved.

XFL will retain 4 teams:
Arlington Renegades
DC Defenders
San Antonio Brahmas
St Louis BattleHawks

USFL will retain 4 teams:
Birmingham Stallions
Houston Gamblers
Memphis Showboats
Michigan Panthers

Pretty much killed my interest in spring football.

 

[Jedi Marso]

As much as I'd like a serious challenger to the No Fun League, fall-winter being 'football season' is pretty well imprinted in the national DNA. I don't have football anywhere on the brain in springtime.

 

[Aragorn]

Mike Florio reports that the eight team leak was premature and that they're still hoping for more than eight teams.

 

[BillJ]

Mike Florio reports that the eight team leak was premature and that they're still hoping for more than eight teams.

They will definitely have to make decisions soon. The season kicks off in four months.

 

[Spider]

Eight teams makes a nice tidy 10 game season. You play everyone in your division twice (six games) and the other division once for the other four games. Then one playoff week and then a championship game. If you expand past 8 teams, your season becomes longer.

 

[BillJ]

I am confused about keeping the Gamblers over the Roughnecks? Seems like you’d want to keep things rolling with the team that actually played in Houston.

 

[Spider]

I am confused about keeping the Gamblers over the Roughnecks? Seems like you’d want to keep things rolling with the team that actually played in Houston.

Could have been those ugly ass helmets of the Roughnecks. LOL. The Roughnecks first year there were some noise from the NFL (or the Titans) about their logo being too close to the old Oilers helmet derrick logo, hence the design change in the second year. Who knows? The Roughnecks didn't sell a lot of tickets, maybe they think the Gamblers will.

I like having football on my TV in the spring, even if it's minor league and very rough around the edges. Football is the only sport I really follow so I watch a lot of it, even if it's not very good. Even the NFL still has horribly played and boring games.

 

[BillJ]

I like having football on my TV in the spring, even if it's minor league and very rough around the edges. Football is the only sport I really follow so I watch a lot of it, even if it's not very good. Even the NFL still has horribly played and boring games.

I wanted the USFL/XFL to be entertaining, but it is tough to watch when QB's consistently throw screen passes at the feet of receivers.

The CFL picks up in June, which is about the time I start missing football. Like you, football is the only sport I follow and YouTube is a treasure trove of old games from pretty much every league out there.

 

[Spider]

I wanted the USFL/XFL to be entertaining, but it is tough to watch when QB's consistently throw screen passes at the feet of receivers.

The CFL picks up in June, which is about the time I start missing football. Like you, football is the only sport I follow and YouTube is a treasure trove of old games from pretty much every league out there.

Good QBs are rare. There are starting QBs in the NFL that can't play at the NFL level worth a crap. I remember watching PJ Walker tear up the XFL's covid shortened season. He couldn't be stopped in the XFL. In the NFL he's not doing so great in Cleveland, and wherever he landed after his 1st XFL season. The chances of what CJ Stroud is doing for the Texans right now is almost like a UFO landing outside in the parking lot.

 

[Aragorn]

The XFL and USFL have become the UFL, the United Football League.

Not to be confused with the United Football League that ceased operations in its fourth season and didn't pay anyone.

 

[BillJ]

The XFL and USFL have become the UFL, the United Football League.

Not to be confused with the United Football League that ceased operations in its fourth season and didn't pay anyone.

I think they figured out how to make spring football less interesting…

 

[Aragorn]

Washington Post reporting the eight teams will be....

XFL: Arlington, D.C., Houston, San Antonio, St. Louis
USFL: Birmingham, Memphis, Michigan

Rumor is the USFL Houston Gamblers are actually the team that made the cut but will be rebranded as the Roughnecks due to better name recognition seeing as how the Roughnecks are the only one of the two who actually played in Houston.