Although the league had no connection with the NFL and had never intended to foster any such connection, some speculated that it could have become a minor or 'developmental' league for the NFL.Įarly news reports had speculated that based on the UFL's initial plan the league would become a 'competitor' to the NFL. The league primarily consisted of players who had previously played for an NFL team. The UFL occupied the second tier of professional football in the United States, behind the National Football League. Unlike most alternative professional football leagues, the second installment of the UFL, played all its games in the traditional fall season, competing directly with the NFL, college football, and high school football. The small league, which never had more than five teams playing at one time, played most of its games in markets where the National Football League (NFL) had no current presence. The United Football League (UFL) would again launch in October of 2009 and played five more seasons, with the 2012 season being cut short in October of 2012. The more conservative owners, who wanted to continue as a regional Midwestern bus league, broke away to form the Professional Football League of America in February 1965.Īmong the league’s notable feats, it became the first football league to operate teams in both the United States and Canada when it launched the Quebec Rifles in 1964, and it revived the names of the Cleveland/Canton Bulldogs and Akron Pros, two early-era NFL teams. Some of the more ambitious owners of the UFL formed the new Continental Football League. The league served eight teams, primarily based in the Midwestern United States.Īfter the completion of the 1964 season league operations decided to suspend league operations.

The first iteration of the United Football League (UFL) began operation in 1961 and continued until 1964 completing four full seasons of football. Although the new UFL does not have an association with the previous iterations of the United Football League, the previous versions also had a storied history. The new UFL has fourteen franchises throughout the southeast and mid-west.

The new United Football League is a United States-based spring football league that plays an outdoor CFL style brand of football from April to August.

Download ufl 2023