Sporting News, June 30, 1983
With the first season of the USFL's unique spring schedule coming to a close, and the playoffs about to begin, it seems a good time to look back at an unlikely success story and assess where the league stands. By all accounts the overall story of the fledgling USFL’s first season is one of success. The league had excellent TV ratings on ABC and ESPN, average attendance (despite some problematic markets) was well over the 20,000 they had hoped for, and the quality of play on the field was outstanding, despite the fact that the biggest names in the league were college standouts rather than NFL veterans. As the league wrapped up its regular season this past week, and now prepares for the playoffs, there are some lessons to be learned, and some kudos to go around.
The first lesson seems to be that 4 playoff teams for a 12 team league may not be enough. While Denver was able to eke into the playoffs at 9-7, both Boston and Birmingham, which had better records than the Denver Gold, were locked out due to the lack of wildcard slots for the playoffs. As the league looks to expand in 1984, we hope they will also look at expanding their playoff field as well. Having 6 of the 12 teams in the league qualify would have been appropriate this year, though we must admit that the drama of teams clinching and falling away over the league's final few weeks did add an air of excitement in several markets.
Attendance is another area where the league has mixed results and is already taking steps to improve their standing. While the league average was above expectations, bolstered by very strong attendance in New Jersey, Denver, Birmingham and Tampa, the league struggled to draw fans to some of their weaker teams, particularly in LA and Chicago, two large markets. Both LA and Chicago, along with Arizona and Washington, had weak teams with few stars, so it is not entirely unexpected, and the league’s unique revenue sharing plan means that none of these cities is in dire financial crisis, but expanding the local fan base will have to be a mission for the USFL moving forward.
The USFL has already started moving to address attendance concerns, announcing recently that Boston would be relocating (within the city) to the larger Harvard Stadium from tiny Nickerson Field, while LA would be leaving the often-empty LA Coliseum for cozier confines at Angel Stadium in Anaheim for their second season. As the league looks to the future, marketing, and building some star power, on these and other franchises will be key. The league has already signed several players from the NFL's 1983 draft class, so some strategic placement of big name players in markets that have struggled with attendance may be appropriate.
Finally, there is the question of financial stability overall. Clearly the expansion coming next year will bring funds in the form of expansion fees, and the league can start to renegotiate their sponsorship and television contracts after a successful first year, but the biggest item on the agenda will be shoring up those franchises which saw significant losses, as well as ensuring that the league’s innovative salary cap structure remains active despite the desire of some owners to compete with the NFL for top talent. The league implemented a hard salary cap for 1984, one which applies to 50 of the 53 players on USFL rosters, allowing each team to have a Hershel Walker, Jim Kelly or Kelvin Bryant without risking a solid 53 man roster.
While all of this lies ahead for the league, what is immediately on their plate are the playoffs. The 14-2 Tampa Bay Bandits will host the 12-4 Philadelphia Stars in one semifinal, while the 9-7 Denver Gold play host to the 12-4 Michigan Panthers. Denver, if they can win, would then get the chance to play the championship game in their home stadium, with Mile High having been announced as the site of the USFL’s title game several weeks ago. Denver, with a modest team budget and modest success on the field, has been the star of the league with attendance solidly over 40,000 per game, and their hosting a playoff game is sure to help bolster the league as well. Were they to beat the Panthers and play at home for the USFL championship, we might anticipate a near sell-out at Mile High, which would certainly look good on TV for those tuning in for the championship as their first exposure to the spring league.
That said, Tampa-Philly is the headline game of the two, with both teams filled with top notch talent. Philadelphia has outstanding rookie rusher Kelvin Bryant and the steady combo of Chuck Fusina and Scott Fitzkee in the passing game. Their defense is led by one of the league’s big revelations, MLB Sam Mills. Tampa, on the other hand, is all about “Bandit Ball”, a wide open offensive style designed to keep defenses off their game. Led by likely league MVP QB John Reaves, the Bandits boast a lot of offensive talent, from RB Gary Anderson to the wideout combo of Eric Truvillion and Willie Gillespie. So it will be a rabbit vs. tortoise matchup on Sunday in Tampa. Can Tampa put the game away early or will Philadelphia grind them down over the course of 60 minutes.
At Mile High stadium we have an interesting situation in that neither team is seen as very explosive, despite the amazing pass catching duo of Anthony Carter and Derek Holloway for the Panthers. With Panthers star QB Bobby Hebert hobbled and quite possibly unable to play, the Panthers will rely on defense. For Denver, slow and steady has been their motto all year, so this game may very well be a slow, methodical battle of attrition, dominated by defense and a field-position game.
It’s playoff time for the USFL, and with a bright future ahead, the league, and one of these four teams, hopes to be looking good as summer heats up.