[MicroBob]

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Wasn't USFL's downfall trying to go up against the NFL while the NFL was in season? This was back when the NFL's popularity was nothing compared to what it is today.

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No.

the USFL was a spring-league. They played from Mar-Jun I believe because they didn't want to directly compete with the NFL like that.
They were going to switch to fall games at one point (New Jersey Generals owner Donald Trump very much wanted this) but the league folded before they could put it in motion.

I remember watching a lot of the USFL games on ESPN with Hershel Walker and other 'stars' like Steve Young, Brian Sipe, Doug Flutie, etc.
This was before ESPN had the NFL so the USFL with Jim Simpson and Paul McGuire was a big thing for them.

Doubleheader of New Jersey Generals vs. Birmingham Stallions followed by Memphis Showboats vs. LA Express!!
Woo-hoo!!!!


As for this new league: Mark Cuban trying to put a team in Las vegas could definitely give it a chance of getting off the ground and perhaps help it do a tad better than the disastrous XFL did.

It says they are having trouble getting other league owners.
Their only chance is if Cuban sticks with it and is able to convince other guys to dive into to it too.

They list LA, LV and Mexico City as their starting cities.
So obviously they're trying to NOT compete with the NFL directly in their markets.

Makes me think they will consider also trying to place teams in other non-NFL markets with perhaps decent enough stadiums.
Some of these might include San Antonio, Oregon, Salt Lake, maybe even Memphis, Hawaii, Birmingham, Albuquerque, Fresno. That might be stretching it a bit though. I'm trying to think creatively.

But they've got to put teams somewhere. And the NFL markets aren't very likely to let some other pro-league use their city's best stadium during the season.