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USFL and Donald Trump: Jeff Pearlman lifts the lid on the NFL's 1980s rival

In the early-to-mid-1980s, the NFL faced competition from a fledgling competition billing itself ...
Newstalk
Newstalk

16.09 4 Oct 2018


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USFL and Donald Trump: Jeff Pe...

USFL and Donald Trump: Jeff Pearlman lifts the lid on the NFL's 1980s rival

Newstalk
Newstalk

16.09 4 Oct 2018


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In the early-to-mid-1980s, the NFL faced competition from a fledgling competition billing itself as the United States Football League AKA USFL. 

Founded in 1982, it was dissolved in 1986 and provided a home for team names like the Birmingham Stallions, Oakland Invaders and Tampa Bay Bandits.

The rise and swift fall of the league is the subject of a book by New York Times Bestselling author Jeff Pearlman.

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Football For A Buck: The Crazy Rise And Crazier Demise Of The USFL details some of the more outlandish elements of the story and also features the involvement of a certain current President of the United States.

New Jersey Generals owner Donald Trump and other USFL team owners played a role in trying to move the USFL towards an Autumn/Winter schedule that would have attempted to challenge the NFL and bring about a merger.

That episode as well as the tale of the USFL filing an anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL are all featured in Pearlman's book and he joined Nathan Murphy to discuss.

Watch the full interview on the video player or listen back on the podcast player.

 


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