USFL to relaunch in 2022

The United States Football League is returning in 2022, the league announced Thursday.

The USFL will relaunch in the spring of 2022 with Fox Sports serving as its official broadcast partner. The league will target a minimum of eight teams and seeks to deliver "high-quality, innovative professional football."

"I'm extremely passionate about football and the opportunity to work with FOX Sports and to bring back the USFL in 2022 was an endeavor worth pursuing," co-founder Brian Woods said.

He added: "We look forward to providing players a new opportunity to compete in a professional football league and giving fans everywhere the best football viewing product possible during what is typically a period devoid of professional football."

The USFL played three seasons during its first stint, beginning in 1983 before ceasing operations in 1986 due to financial struggles amid a push to compete with the NFL. Many notable players participated in the USFL during its first incarnation, including Hall of Fame quarterbacks Steve Young and Jim Kelly.

The relaunched USFL will use the same logo from its first stint, according to Arnie Stapleton of The Associated Press. It also retains the rights to key original team names but the specifics are still unknown. The league plans to release more information on host cities, teams, head coaches, and schedules in the future.