Baltimore Sun, May 30, 1985
Just one year after the middle-of-the-night exodus of the NFL Colts to Indianapolis, professional football is returning to the Charm City in the form of the USFL’s Blitz. The Blitz, which have called Chicago home for the past 3 seasons, have been a team in search of new ownership for the better part of a year. With local groups unable to coalesce into a viable option for the USFL, the league had no other choice but to look at possible relocation, and into the fray stepped a group of civic-minded Baltimoreans, distressed by the loss of the Colts and willing to work together to bring professional football back to Memorial Stadium.
At a press conference at the downtown Belvedere Hotel, USFL Officials, led by Commissioner Chet Simmons introduced the new ownership of the Blitz and announced that the franchise would be calling Memorial Stadium home, beginning with the 1986 season. The ownership group includes a few well-known Baltimoreans, most prominently Louis Thalheimer, real estate developer and CEO of the Lord Baltimore Capitol Group. The prominent local philanthropist is joined in the ownership group by another well-regarded Baltimorean, film director Barry Levinson, whose 1980 film “Diner” is practically a love letter to the city of Baltimore and to its (now departed) football team. Also present as minority owners, and certainly known quantities to local sports enthusiasts, are NFL greats Lenny Moore, Earl Morrall, and Bubba Smith. While the roles the former Colts will play within the ownership group is likely to be slight, it seems a fair bet that these NFL legends will be a big part of marketing the Blitz to the Baltimore area.
In the press conference, Mr. Simmons confessed that the league had hoped to delay announcement of the sale until after the conclusion of the 1985 season, but with a growing number of leaks, particularly within the Chicago press, the league opted for transparency and an early announcement. In the question-and-answer period of the conference several details about the sale and relocation were revealed. The team will retain the moniker of “Blitz” along with the current logo and colors (royal blue, scarlet red, silver and white). While there is potential for the Blitz to be realigned within the USFL’s four division structures, it is not clear how this is possible unless a second team elects to shift divisions. With speculation high that the Boston Breakers may also be facing relocation, this seems the most likely scenario in which the now Baltimore Blitz would find themselves in the Atlantic Division along with natural rivals Philadelphia and Washington. Relocation would also require a shuffling of the USFL’s territorial draft and designated schools, as now the Blitz and Federals would both lay claim to schools such as the University of Maryland.
Finally, the league, and Mr. Thalheimer, announced that they expect the roster and staff of what looks to be a very strong 9-2 Blitz squad to remain intact with the move. Mr. Thalheimer citing that “Coach Levy and his staff have put together a very strong squad, the type of squad that Baltimore can embrace, so we don’t anticipate any changes to the core of the team simply because the ownership and the franchise’s home is shifting.”
The vital issue of television revenue, as well as the future of USFL football in Chicago was answered by Commissioner Simmons, who stated that prior to finalizing the sale of the Blitz the league was able to negotiate with both ABC and ESPN to retain the current television package, despite the loss of a Chicago franchise for the 1986 season, with the promise that a new Chicago franchise would join the league as part of a planned 1987 expansion, essentially limiting the Windy City’s loss to a one year hiatus. With no Chicago-based ownership groups meeting the league’s standards to purchase the Blitz this year, it is uncertain how the USFL will be able to develop a Chicago franchise for 1987, but this is the gamble they have taken. For now, Chicago will have the remainder of the 1985 season to enjoy Blitz football, and then will have to take a wait-and-see attitude towards a potential 1987 expansion franchise in their city.
For Baltimore, the good news is that football is back, and it looks like a winner is coming to our fair city. While this may not be the resolution that Colts fans sought after Mr. Irsay’s despicable departure from Baltimore, it is fair to say that the pride, passion and power of Baltimore’s football-loving community has helped to bring the game back to the Charm City. So, congratulations to Mr. Thalheimer, Mr. Levinson, and to all involved in bringing professional football back to Baltimore. Let’s all get ready to back the Blitz in 1986.
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