The United Football League is a professional American football league being organized by William Hambrecht, a Wall Street investor and former minority partner in the USFL’s Oakland Invaders, and Tim Armstrong, a senior executive at Google. Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, has agreed to purchase a franchise for $30 million. Teams are already being set up in Las Vegas, Mexico City and Los Angeles. Birmingham, San Antonio, Raleigh-Durham, and Orlando are being considered for franchise locations. Eight locations will play the initial games, which are scheduled to start in August 2008.
The league, which is still in its infancy, plans to play its games on Friday nights, which would put it in conflict with many high school games. Mark Cuban is currently the only owner that is lined up for what is expected to be an eight-team league. Cuban has said that he believes that the league will fill its rosters with quality players that go late in the NFL Draft or as undrafted free agents, or players that are released by NFL teams.
Other professional leagues competing with the NFL, such as the USFL, World Football League, and XFL folded after a few years. In addition, another league, the All American Football League, is scheduled to start play in 2008.
