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10/11/2020 5:16 pm  #1


From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)



Nearly 40 years ago [This thread began in October 2020], very few people believed football would ever work in the spring. But that didn't stop New Orleans antique dealer David Dixon from outlining his grand vision in the early 1980's.

After two years of preparation, Dixon formally announced the birth of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982. A month later, Dixon hired sports television pioneer Chet Simmons as the league's first commissioner.

Over the summer and fall of 1982, Dixon successfully signed the USFL to television deals with ABC and a fledgling cable channel called the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, or ESPN for short.

One important codicil that Dixon cleverly snuck into the USFL's constitution was that the league must stick with its spring schedule and abstain from competing directly with the more-powerful National Football League.

For the twelve cities that will take the field in the Spring of 1983, Dixon selected these twelve:

ATLANTIC
Boston Breakers (Nickerson Field); Co-owned by George Matthews and former Patriot Randy Vataha.
New Jersey Generals (Giants Stadium); Owned by Oklahoma-based oilman J. Walter Duncan.
Philadelphia Stars (Franklin Field); Owned by Myles Tanenbaum.
Washington Sentinels (RFK Stadium); Owned by Berl Bernhard.

CENTRAL
Tampa Bay Bandits (Tampa Stadium); Owned by Canadian-born and former WFL Memphis Grizzlies owner John Bassett. Actor Burt Reynolds is a minority partner for the club.
Michigan Panthers (Pontiac Silverdome); Owned by Alfred Taubmann.
Chicago Fire (Soldier Field); Owned by Eddie Einhorn.
Birmingham Maulers (Legion Field); Owned by Marvin Warner.

PACIFIC
Arizona Wranglers (Sun Devil Stadium); Owned by Dr. Ted Dietrich.
Oakland Condors (Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum); Owned by Sacramento-based businessman Fred Anderson.
Los Angeles Action (Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum); Owned by Stockton-based businessman Alex G. Spanos.
Denver Gold (Mile High Stadium); Owned by Ron Blanding.

Last edited by NeoPrankster (11/13/2020 2:20 pm)

 

10/11/2020 5:57 pm  #2


Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)

Looking forward to this! Hopefully the Arizona Wranglers can return or whatever you decide to call them




 
 

10/11/2020 10:22 pm  #3


Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)

Rugrat wrote:

Looking forward to this! Hopefully the Arizona Wranglers can return or whatever you decide to call them

Here come your Arizona Wranglers!

     Thread Starter
 

10/11/2020 10:25 pm  #4


Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)

There they are! My team




 
 

10/12/2020 11:45 pm  #5


Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)

The second of twelve teams to be granted for the 1983 season: The Tampa Bay Bandits, who will play their home games at Tampa Stadium, normally home to the NFL's Buccaneers.

     Thread Starter
 

10/13/2020 12:58 am  #6


Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)

This just in!!!

NFL SEASON CUT SHORT DUE TO PLAYER STRIKE 


Pete Rozelle
Commissioner of the National Football League

November 30, 1982

"I've said before that we owed it to the National Football League's fans to resolve the current work stoppage as quickly as we could. Now, it is becoming clearer with each passing day that the NFL owners and the players' union are much further apart than they were when the strike began. Because of the breakdown in communication between the players and owners, it is my deepest regret to announce the cancellation of the remaining games of the 1982 NFL season."​

Last edited by NeoPrankster (10/13/2020 12:58 am)

     Thread Starter
 

10/13/2020 7:45 pm  #7


Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)

The Oakland Tribune has leaked a prototype logo for the city's new USFL franchise. The team is rumored to take the field in the Spring of '83 as the Oakland Condors.

     Thread Starter
 

10/13/2020 7:58 pm  #8


Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)

Nice look, Neo!



Owner of the Indiana Cardinals (2005 AltBA Champions) the owner of the Memphis Kings, and new owner of the Milwaukee Mallards! #HoosierBirds #KingUp #QuackQuack
 

10/13/2020 8:03 pm  #9


Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)

Definitely a fan of that look! 




 
 

10/13/2020 8:48 pm  #10


Re: From the US to the World ('84 Expansion team unveilings)

For the rest of the teams for 1983, here are some names I have been thinking of:

ATLANTIC
Boston

-> Breakers
-> Beacons
-> Shamrocks
-> Cannons
-> Blizzard
-> Bruisers
-> Brawlers

New Jersey
-> Generals
-> Knights

Philadelphia
-> Stars
-> Bell Ringers
-> Spirits

Washington
-> Federals
-> Regulators
-> Sentinels
-> Commandos
-> Commanders

CENTRAL
Michigan Panthers
Tampa Bay Bandits


Birmingham
-> Stallions
-> Flames
-> Forge

Chicago
-> Fire
-> Blitz
-> Crusaders
-> Shamrocks

PACIFIC
Arizona Wranglers
Oakland Condors


Denver
-> Apex
-> Gold
-> Grizzlies
-> Cougars

Los Angeles
-> Action
-> Express
-> Jaguars
-> Titans
-> Guardians
-> Breakers
-> Lasers
-> Lancers

     Thread Starter
 

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