Die-hard football fans who were still craving some football had to be excited about the new USFL (United States Football League) starting in mid-April.    However, the plans for the new USFL may have come to a screeching halt. 

This has come courtesy of a lawsuit filed by numerous owners and executives from the original USFL.    They have filed a lawsuit against Fox Sports and the new USFL, claiming that the new league is using the same name and team nicknames that were used in the old USFL. They did this using an entity called “The Real USFL, LLC”.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in California on Monday.

Tampa Bay Bandits Primary Logo 2022 - Present

Indeed, the new USFL is using the same nicknames as the old USFL.   The teams are Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers, Tampa Bay Bandits, Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars, and the Pittsburgh Maulers.     The current USFL claims to have retained the rights to the original USFL team names.  They have even taken the step of giving these franchises new logos for their team names.

The former owners of the old USFL are contending that permission was needed for the use of the league’s name and team names.  

In a press release, a co-counsel for the initial USFL owners and executives contended that Fox is capitalizing on the nostalgia of the old USFL without the consent of the people who made the league possible.    He accused Fox of deliberately confusing the original USFL with the new USFL. 

However, Fox Sports and the new USFL believe that the lawsuit filed has no merit whatsoever.   They state that the new USFL registered its intellectual property rights in 2011.   Furthermore, they argued that the original USFL abandoned its trademarks, given that the league has been defunct for nearly three decades. 

The initial version of the USFL lasted for three years (1983-1986).  However, the league did introduce the world to great players such as the late Reggie White.    

New Jersey Generals Primary Logo 2022 - Present

Initially, the old USFL was able to offer salaries that surpassed those provided by the NFL.  However, the wages became unsustainable because there was no salary cap in place.   This was the primary reason that the old USFL folded.

The first game in the new USFL is scheduled for April 16th, featuring a matchup between the New Jersey Generals and the Birmingham Barons.    As long as this lawsuit is ongoing, it is safe to say that the league’s plans could change.