The United States Football League (USFL) is a former football league that was operational for just a few seasons. The USFL was in action from 1983–1985, after which it ceased all operations. It was a league that was focused on playing spring and summer football during the NFL break.
However, after the end of the 1985 season, the USFL decided to compete head-to-head with the NFL and have its operations during the regular football season. But before the start of the 1986 season, the USFL was dissolved, and the league became history.
The USFL was the brainchild of American businessman David Dixon, who also founded the NFL team, the New Orleans Saints. The plan was first devised back in 1965, and the USFL came into action more than a decade later. It consisted of a total of eighteen teams. The Michigan Panthers won the first edition, followed by the Philadelphia Stars, and the Baltimore Stars were the last crowned champions.
Donald Trump led the USFL into a lawsuit against the NFL but it backfired
It will be interesting to know that former American President Donald Trump owned a team in the USFL (New Jersey Generals). He has had a strained relationship with the NFL since the 1980s, and it affected his time at the USFL. The main reason for his difficult time with the NFL was due to the fact that he wanted to own a team in the league but didn’t manage to do so.
Does anyone else find it interesting that DJT sued the NFL for……..
1.7 Billion dollars…..
Probobly nothing.. 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/A6YhEGUWs2
— Joe Rambo (@BrainStorm_Joe) December 14, 2023
Donald Trump first attempted to buy a team in the NFL back in 1981, when he showed interest in the Baltimore Colts. However, team owner Robert Irsay rejected an offer from Trump worth $50 million, and the latter’s plans failed. Trump tried again in 1983, but Robert Irsay decided to relocate the team, and it ended up being the Indianapolis Colts as we know them now.
Donald Trump led the USFL in a lawsuit against the NFL in a bid to merge the two leagues. The USFL filed an anti-trust lawsuit worth $1.7 billion against the NFL, claiming that the latter had established a dominance over the broadcasting teams. The case was carried out in the United States District Court in Manhattan.
Although the USFL won the lawsuit against the NFL, the court did not order a merger, and neither did they have to pay a heavy fine. Many are of the opinion that the USFL’s claims were based on unreasonable grounds and that Donald Trump was the main cause of its demise. Trump still has anger against the NFL, which was displayed a couple of years ago when he protested against players taking a knee before the game.