Spring football is coming back this year with the hope that the third time of asking can be the success that the sport requires.
Of course, we saw the introduction of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) in 2019 take center stage following the conclusion of that year’s NFL season, and it seemed as though we could be heading for a successful year until the league had to be abandoned abruptly just after the halfway point because of issues with funding.
Indeed, this was then followed by the XFL in 2020 but when it seemed that was going to finally be a success, it ended up being canceled because of COVID-19. Now, it seems that 2022 is going to be another year in which fans of the sport will be hoping that they will finally see a full edition of spring football, but this time with the relaunch of the USFL.
Of course, the frustrations that have been had by American Football fans over the last couple of years will be equally known by those that experience them when looking online for more sites to use in order to enhance one of their own favorite passions, but hopefully, that is behind everyone now.
But, what is the USFL and how will it operate?
How will the USFL work?
The USFL stands for the United States Football League and is a planned professional football league that will feature a total of eight teams in its inaugural season. This debut season is scheduled to take place between April 16, 2022, and is expected to last until July 3, 2022, where we will hopefully be able to see a winner crowned champion and actually see a full spring of football.
There is a total of 10 match weeks in the regular season, before the top four teams – the top two from the North and South Divisions – will then compete in a postseason playoff format that will last two weekends. The winner of the Divisional games will then compete in the Championship game, much like they would in the NFL.
What are the teams and divisions?
As mentioned, there is a total of eight teams scheduled to participate in the 2022 USFL season, with two divisions being split into four teams each that are separated geographically.
The North Division consists of the following four teams:
- Michigan Panthers
- New Jersey Generals
- Philadelphia Stars
- Pittsburgh Maulers
The South Division consists of these four teams:
- Birmingham Stallions
- Houston Gamblers
- New Orleans Breakers
- Tampa Bay Bandits
Where are the games going to be played?
Each of the games to be played in the USFL 2022 season will be played in Birmingham, Alabama, with the Protective Stadium and the Legion Field having been designated venues for the regular-season games.
However, the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium has been scheduled to be the venue for the three postseason games that will be played.
Which TV Networks will host the USFL games?
There is a lot of media coverage for the USFL this season, which is why some are hoping that it can be a success this spring, as it will be accessible to a number of American Football fans around the U.S.
Fox and FS1 will broadcast games, as will NBC and its sister stations, NBC Sports, USA Network, and Peacock.