USFL Second Season Confirmed — Up to Four Hubs in Play
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USFL Second Season Confirmed — Up to Four Hubs in Play

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This past weekend the USFL kicked off the playoffs, which saw the Philadelphia Stars and Birmingham Stallions stamp their ticket to the Championship.

With one game left in the inaugural season, we’ve started hearing folks within the league mention a season two. But, today we have our biggest confirmation to date.

Eric Shanks Interview

Fox Sports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks spoke with John Ourand of Sports Business Journal, where he dropped some big news on the future of the league.

According to these reports, the league is absolutely going to play in 2023. FOX and NBC are both pleased with how things went in year one, and are looking forward to expanding the USFL’s reach next year.

Now, the big news: the USFL plans on expanding to at least two hubs in 2023 – and potentially up to four. Shanks says this about expansion:

“We’re talking to those cities now in terms of how many we’re going to be in locally”

Shanks also confirms that the USFL will stick to eight teams in 2023. That being said, we could see new franchises as early as 2024, which is an exciting prospect:

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“Next year, it will still be eight teams, but they will play in multiple cities, so we’ll get more home markets involved…We’ve always had an expansion plan that could potentially come into play in year three and beyond”

The executives at FOX seem set on growing the league at a slower pace. Which, isn’t the worst idea in the grand scheme of things. Spring football is hard to maintain. Sticking to a smart business plan is what will lead to greater success in the future.

Of course, the ultimate goal is to get every team in their home markets. It’s just a matter of when, and where.

Final Thoughts

With all of this in mind, it is clear that the USFL plans on being a long term option for football players across the country. Evidently, FOX believes in the product – which means that we should be treated to plenty of amazing USFL seasons in the years to come.

What do you think of FOX moving into potentially four markets? Do you think these are the right moves for the USFL? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!

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Stephan Rachuk
Owner/Editor USFL Newsroom
Originally from Detroit, I grew up a Lions fan, which has now led me on a lifetime journey to find better football. I'm now living in the greater Houston area and I am one of the few journalists covering spring football. Contact: [email protected]
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James Larsen
Growing up, football was one of the few things that brought me joy. It's always played a major role in my life, and continues to do so. As I've delved into sports journalism, spring football has become my passion. Covering the USFL & XFL is a dream come true, and I look forward to plenty of excellent seasons in the years to come.
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4 Comments

  1. I have loved the USFL this year; Fan of the Philadelphia Stars; just returned from Canton OH; Playoff game was spectacular; really looking forward to having a hub city in the north this year.

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  2. Yes I believe the teams need to be in their own markets as soon as they can support them. It was a good idea for Year 1 to have all in one place to cut down on expenses, travel and all but the cities need to learn their teams and create a following. I live in Atlanta but I am originally from Alabama so we are Stallions fans. We drove over to see them play in BHM and and we are headed to Canton this weekend to see the Championship game. I loved the USFL in the 80’s and was excited when it came back this year! I love football as do most people in the south, so I am excited to see this league grow and hopefully become a vital thing that is here for many years. Football year round is great for me!

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  3. We are headed up for the Championship game this weekend, really looking forward to it. I do hope you can get the Stars playing in Philly next year as with all of the other teams because they need local fans and support from home fans. These players have worked hard and they need the support. Love the USFL I hope it is around for years to come.

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  4. Four hubs ( 2 in the south, 2 in the north) or just simply 2 hubs (one in the north, one in the south) sounds like a wonderful idea. With hubs being closer to where the fans live more people would show up to games and give an electric atmosphere. Watching the USFL this year has been really fun–the games have for the most part been exciting and close. As a Generals fan it was heartbreaking to see NJ lose in the playoff, but i really cant complain about the entertainment value the league provided this year. Also I like the idea of the USFL Championship Game being on July 4th weekend. it would make for easy appointment viewing every year.

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