Good News: USFL Is Back!

The USFL is set for a renaissance! Football fans rejoice!

Media giant FOX is the latest to try its hand at launching a successful and enduring professional football league with its launch of the United States Football League (USFL) – brand this spring.

FOX Sports announced its plans to bring back the 1980s project with an anticipated start date currently set for April 16, 2022. This news has caught the attention of football fans everywhere, including BetUS sportsbook for various reasons.

Many have tried and failed before to fill the void that the NFL leaves behind at its conclusion every year. The NFL is the biggest show in the country. From the moment the confetti starts to fall on the league’s annual champions in February, the harsh reality of the barren months that are about to unfold knocks back every single football fan. Six months of devastating emptiness.

Be there for the inaugural USFL game on April 16th!

Tickets for @USFLGenerals vs. @USFLStallions are on sale now 🎟 https://t.co/HQXOtu2VR6 pic.twitter.com/2DjVCNqh3s

— USFL (@USFL) January 25, 2022

FOX Sports’ vision for the USFL is no different than those of its predecessors.

FOX has assembled an impressive team to drive the USFL league to success that includes well known football entrepreneurs, former NFL stars and NFL media analysts. For instance, former Dallas Cowboys fullback and NFL TV analyst Daryl Johnston will serve as the USFL’s Executive Vice President of Football Operations, while FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira will be the Head of Officiating.

USFL announces Executive Team, including Brian Woods as President of Football Operations, Mike Pereia as Head of Officiating, Daryl Johnson as VP of Football Operations, Edward Hartman as VP of Business Operations, and Erick Shanks as Chair of the USFL’s Board

— USFL News (@Newsusfl) November 17, 2021

The USFL league will have eight teams divided into two divisions. Each team will play a 10-game schedule — playing against division opponents twice and opposing division opponents once. At the close of the regular season, a four-team playoff with a semifinal round and then a championship round will cap the inaugural season.

In November, FOX unveiled the team cities and names involved in the 2022 debut. The Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars, Pittsburgh Maulers, Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers and, Tampa Bay Bandits.

We are the USFL 🏈

🐾 @USFLPanthers
🎖 @USFLGenerals
⭐️ @USFLStars
⚒️ @USFLMaulers

🐎 @USFLStallions
🎰 @USFLGamblers
🌊 @USFLBreakers
🤠 @USFLBandits pic.twitter.com/IWppp5b2Sz

— USFL (@USFL) November 22, 2021

USFL Odds

Football fans can be assured NFL odds will be available for the USFL regular season and beyond, once more information about the league is made available. Where there’s sports, there’s odds. It’s a given.

It’s quite possible, too, that markets will throw in some cheeky props on the league itself. For instance, odds on it surviving its first year. Historical trends aren’t encouraging.

The XFL Coming Back in 2023

The XFL had a similar such mandate but it launched in 2020, against the backdrop of an extraordinary global pandemic. Talk about bad timing. The league managed to get five weeks of its planned eight-week season in the books before it was shut down due to COVID-19. In April, the league filed for bankruptcy.

In August, right before it went to auction, Dwayne Johnson and longtime business partner Dany Garcia along with a consortium that included Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital purchased the XFL for $15 million. The league is anticipating a return in 2023.