So the USFL has returned after 30+ years.

Birmingham Stallions
Houston Gamblers
New Orleans Breakers
Tampa Bay Bandits

Michigan Panthers
New Jersey Generals
Philadelphia Stars
Pittsburgh Maulers

They'll play a 10 game schedule starting in April 2022, playing on Sat/Sun. I assume they'll play division opponents twice, non division once. Top two teams from each division will play semi final, then those winners play in the final.

The kicker, all games will be played in one city (not announced) for the entire year...not sure i quite understand how or why that's happening.

No news on how rosters will be determined, or game format/rules. Games will be broadcast by FOX.

Thoughts?

Meh

looks like they skipped the west coast...

I already have a gamblers shirt.

COMEBACKSZN??

redag06 said:

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I already have a gamblers shirt.

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I have their helmet!

For those of you too young to remember, the USFL was actually pretty awesome for die hard fans. Great aerial attacks kinda doing what the NFL has evolved to now so many years later.

Loved me some Jim Kelly and the Houston Gamblers.

Hopefully it does well and when it does gain some traction, hopefully there wont be a know it all meddling owner that comes in and convinces them to try and take on the NFL.

Spring football will work this time!!!

USFL doing their uniform drops today

We hit the jackpot 🎰

Gamblers threads are in 🔥 pic.twitter.com/6jGibkATd8

— Houston Gamblers (@USFLGamblers) February 17, 2022

Pocket aces ♣️ pic.twitter.com/H04nU1jKcd

— Houston Gamblers (@USFLGamblers) February 17, 2022

1st game opponent

Battle ready ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ pic.twitter.com/KyZqLeFMoX

— New Jersey Generals (@USFLGenerals) February 17, 2022

Sweet freaking action!!!!!

Well hell

USFL 2.0 will play all regular-season games in Birmingham and all postseason games in Canton, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. https://t.co/W4bhgWlhBV

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 16, 2022

The USFL has lost the race to be a feeder system for the NFL with todays announcement that the XFL will partner with the NFL. The countdown now begins until the USFL is over again.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/02/21/nfl-xfl-partnership-rules-equipment-experimentation-innovation#:~:text=The%20NFL%20and%20XFL%20announced,per%20an%20NFL%20press%20release.

Why tie teams to a city if they are going to play all games in one city? I get that those are the historical USFL teams, but you'd have to be Gen X or older to know that. If they wanted to differentiate, they should have tried tying the player pool to the team's "location". Have a Texas team and their players have to have graduated from a Texas high school. Have a Florida team, California team, Midwest, Southeast, etc. That way you can generate some interest from hometown fan bases.

txagman1998 said:

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Why tie teams to a city if they are going to play all games in one city? I get that those are the historical USFL teams, but you'd have to be Gen X or older to know that. If they wanted to differentiate, they should have tried tying the player pool to the team's "location". Have a Texas team and their players have to have graduated from a Texas high school. Have a Florida team, California team, Midwest, Southeast, etc. That way you can generate some interest from hometown fan bases.

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Agreed. I was mildly interested in this and probably would have taken my son to a Gamblers game if they were in Houston. With all the teams playing in a bubble, this won't work. This league, like many before it, will fold after a season.

This has midseason fold written all over it

Bubble football is just stupid

So the USFL just finished up Round 35 of their draft, which apparently was long snappers, and half of them go by the name "Pass".

The 35th and final round is complete! 🎉 #USFLDraft pic.twitter.com/kczwlPrQvO

— USFL (@USFL) February 23, 2022

I have to admit, now I'm somewhat intrigued by how the USFL did their draft. Round 34 was TEs and Halfbacks.

The tight end round is complete! 🙌

Which team had the best pick in Round 34? #USFLDraft pic.twitter.com/VAkDpyDWL5

— USFL (@USFL) February 23, 2022

And even if you are the final pick in the USFL draft, it's still has to be kinda cool.

Our final pick! #DropTheHammer pic.twitter.com/v3ZVgYECfQ

— Pittsburgh Maulers (@USFLMaulers) February 23, 2022

txagman1998 said:

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Why tie teams to a city if they are going to play all games in one city? I get that those are the historical USFL teams, but you'd have to be Gen X or older to know that. If they wanted to differentiate, they should have tried tying the player pool to the team's "location". Have a Texas team and their players have to have graduated from a Texas high school. Have a Florida team, California team, Midwest, Southeast, etc. That way you can generate some interest from hometown fan bases.

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In blowing through the USFL twitter account, I think they are trying to minimize local expenses and basically make it on the TV deal. For example, I imagine there is one person running every team and USFL's twitter account. I also think they are probably sending content to NBC and Fox to tweet out, as well as the coaches (All 8 teams had a similar tweet immediately after draft from different accounts)

What a great couple of days! pic.twitter.com/djhOFwQBM4

— Larry Fedora (@CoachFedora) February 23, 2022

Just getting started! https://t.co/ZLLZzRHIxm

— Kevin Sumlin (@CoachSumlin) February 23, 2022

The New Jersey Generals squad is set. Look out, we coming for the throne! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #InTheTrenches pic.twitter.com/ZrQ7o0FpPy

— New Jersey Generals (@USFLGenerals) February 23, 2022

There is probably the equivalent of two to three training staffs for all the teams combined and 1-2 fields and training facilities.

I hope the old USFL wins this lawsuit against Fox, but the court rules that damages are only $3.

The Real USFL LLC is suing FOX for creating a new USFL (United States Football League), which is set to start April 22.

It claims that FOX's USFL franchise is an "unabashed counterfeit" and that it has no right to capitalize on the goodwill of the league.https://t.co/sy4YkFy1NI pic.twitter.com/8GWqpSZ3at

— Darren Heitner (@DarrenHeitner) February 28, 2022

https://www.foxsports.com/stories/usfl/usfl-rules-3-point-conversions-two-forward-passes-and-much-more

Quote:

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On Wednesday, the USFL officially unveiled a few changes to the traditional football rules, designed to bolster offense and big-play potential, improve game flow, give trailing teams more scoring opportunities as time winds down, enhance player safety, and get officiating calls right in a way that's fair for both teams.

The biggest rule changes pertain to extra-point conversions after touchdowns, onside kicks, overtime and passing plays, but they're not the only modifications. Here's what you need to know about the USFL's rules.

Extra points

When teams score a touchdown in the USFL, they'll have the option to attempt a one-, two- or even three-point conversion. Teams will receive:

- One point for a kick made with the ball snapped from the 15-yard line
- Two points for a scrimmage play from the two-yard line that successfully crosses the goal line
- Three points for a scrimmage play from the 10-yard line that successfully crosses the goal line

As a result, a team trailing by nine points can still tie the game with a touchdown (and a three-point conversion), while an 18-point lead is still a two-possession game.

Onside kicks

Teams will have two options to retain possession after scoring. The first option will be a traditional onside kick attempt from the 25-yard line.

The second will be running a 4th-and-12 play from their own 33-yard line. If the team makes a first down, fantastic it retains possession from that spot. If the team attempting the "onside" fails, however, the defense gets the ball wherever the offense is downed.

Overtime

Overtime will be a shootout in which each team's offense will alternate plays against the opposing defense from the two-yard line. Each team will run a total of three plays, and each successful scoring attempt will receive two points. The team with the most points after each team has run its three plays wins.

If the score is tied after each team runs three plays, the subsequent attempts become sudden death until a winner is declared.

Two forward passes

Offenses will be allowed to throw two forward passes behind the line of scrimmage, expanding teams' playbooks while adding even more excitement and trick-play potential to games.

Other rules changes

Instant replay: Each coach will be allowed one replay challenge. Replay Command at FOX Sports Control Center in Los Angeles will make all replay decisions, meaning that one replay crew will make all the decisions. This will ensure accurate, consistent, and faster rulings.

USFL Replay Command will have the authority to overrule incorrect personal foul calls, including roughing the passer, hits on defenseless players, face-mask penalties, horse-collars, and more. USFL Replay Command will also be responsible for determining whether the act of pass interference is obviously intentional when it occurs 15 yards beyond the line of scrimmage (see below).

Defensive pass interference: The penalty for defensive pass interference will mirror the NCAA rule, with exceptions. Defensive pass interference will be a spot foul if it occurs less than 15 yards from the line of scrimmage, but it is a 15-yard penalty if the spot of the foul is beyond 15 yards. The goal is to decrease the punitive nature of defensive pass interference penalties.

However, a defender intentionally tackling a receiver beyond 15 yards past the line of scrimmage would be a spot foul.

Offensive pass interference: If a pass does not cross the line of scrimmage, there can be no penalty for either offensive pass interference or ineligible player downfield. This rule change opens up the offense without undermining defense and forgoes punishment for infractions unrelated to the play

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Houston hired Sumlin?!?!?!

Trying to find Gambler's swag is tough, apparently.

Not a good time to do this with supply chain issues.

Can we bring the Roughnecks back? They were undefeated before covid ruined their season.

A website called old school shirts has sold Gamblers shirts for years. Probably cheaper than buying the official stuff from the current league.

This looks cool:

See the game like NEVER before.

Starting next Saturday on FOX and NBC, two players from each team will be wearing helmet cams in EVERY USFL game 👀 pic.twitter.com/reBK1Qjz9C

— USFL (@USFL) April 9, 2022

Didnt the World League do that in the early 1990s?

HOU/MICH u43.5

Cant Think of a Name said:

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Didnt the World League do that in the early 1990s?

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Yes

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Being back the Oklahoma (who were first the Tulsa) Outlaws. Doug Williams played for them before he was the first black QB to win a SB.

And what the hell is up with playing all games in Birmingham? Isn't that an unfair home field advantage?

Watched a couple minutes of a game the other day. Don't think I'll be tuning in again.

For those looking for a USFL update.
For 2023, they will increase the number of locations where games are held, from 1 to 2, or possibly 4.

The South Division will be calling Memphis and Birmingham home in 2023 🏠👀 pic.twitter.com/k9JpekaxdS

— USFL (@USFL) November 15, 2022

Here’s a look at the updated division alignment for the 2023 season! 🙌👀 pic.twitter.com/cn5DhMwYCN

— USFL (@USFL) November 15, 2022