The USFL Announces Four Expansion Franchises for 1984

USA Today, July 6, 1983

Today the USFL announced four expansion franchises for the 1984 season. With their first Championship Game scheduled for this upcoming Sunday in Denver, the USFL is not resting on its laurels. The first year spring football league has exceeded expectations and even before their regular season was at its half-way point, was inviting bids for potential expansion franchises for the following year. The initial wave of applications was rumored to have represented over 20 bids, and last month the USFL announced 10 finalist bids.

From a podium at New York's Downtown Athletic Club, the USFL announced that from their 10 finalists the USFL has opted to accept four new franchises into the league for the 1984 season. The four franchises to join the league when play starts in March of 1984 are:

Houston Gamblers: The Gamblers will play in the Astrodome and are owned by a finance group featuring Alvin Lubetkin, Bernard Lerner and Dr. Jerry Argovitz. One of the minority owners, famous singer Kenny Rogers, is the inspiration for the “Gamblers” moniker. From the start of the expansion process, it was clear that the USFL was looking to add a Texas franchise and Houston was able to beat out San Antonio as the home to the state’s first USFL franchise. The Gamblers will wear predominantly black uniforms with red and silver secondary colors. Their logo includes the state of Texas inside a stylized red “G”.

Jacksonville Bulls: The Bulls were something of a surprise pick as Miami was also a finalist and Tampa Bay already represents Florida in the league, however, a strong ownership group, led by real estate developer Fred Bullard, and a solid stadium contract with the Gator Bowl helped Jacksonville land a USFL franchise. The Bulls hope to draw the same type of excitement and local attention as their cross-state rivals, the Bandits, who will play in the first USFL championship this Sunday. Jacksonville will wear burgundy, orange and grey uniforms and have a charging bull as their logo.

Memphis Showboats: Memphis was one of the highlight locations in the failed World Football League, but fans in the region demonstrated that pro football would sell in the mid-South, so the city becomes the third of four USFL expansion locations. The Showboats, named for the riverboats which ply the waters of the Mississippi river, along with the flashy, “more fun” football the USFL thrives on, will play their home games at the Liberty Bowl. They are owned by Forbes 500 owner William Dunavant and famous Alabama booster and food manufacturer Logan Young. The Showboats have already announced their head coach, former UCLA and Ga Tech head man, the always dynamic Pepper Rodgers. The Showboats will wear red and silver as their colors, hoping to avoid clashes with local NCAA schools such as Alabama (Crimson), Tennessee (Orange), and Memphis State (Blue). Their logo is the familiar paddlewheel shield seen on steamboats.

Pittsburgh Maulers: Pittsburgh was considered a darkhorse candidate when the 10 finalist bids were announced, but the NFL experience of owner Edward DeBartolo Sr, former owner of the San Francisco 49ers, certainly helped bring the bid home. DeBartolo is known to Pittsburghers, having bought the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1977 and also owns the MISL soccer club in Pittsburgh, the Spirit. The Maulers, toting a hammer-wielding steelworker as a logo, will play in Three Rivers Stadium, and will be the first major sports franchise not to wear black and gold as their uniform colors. The Maulers have chosen a somewhat unique combination of purple, orange and steel grey for their design.

Each of these teams will be stocked with players through various routes. It is assumed that they will be able to bid on the NFL 1983 Draft picks which have been signed to USFL contracts, including QB’s Todd Blackledge, Jim Kelly and Tony Eason. There will also be an expansion draft in which these new franchises will be able to select from a pool of unprotected players from the USFL’s initial 12 teams. In December there will also be a Collegiate Draft in two parts, with each USFL having 6 protected Territorial Schools from which to choose up to 10 players, and then an open draft of remaining college talent. Of course, there is also the option of trading for players, as the early draft positions of these expansion teams are likely to be attractive trade bait for many teams.

We anticipate further expansion news as coaching staffs are filled out, rosters begin to form, and tickets go for sale in each market. As for the structure of the USFL, the league announced that it will be splitting the current Central Division (the strongest in 1983) into two divisions, a more-northern focused Central Division with Chicago, Michigan, Pittsburgh and Houston, and a Southern Division in which Jacksonville and Memphis will join 1983 squads Tampa Bay and Birmingham.