▁TV ▁network ▁for ▁fall ▁broadcast s . ▁ ▁The ▁US FL ▁had ▁j ett ison ed ▁its ▁original ▁model ▁of ▁spring ▁football ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁the ▁ris ky ▁gam ble ▁( but ▁potentially ▁luc r ative ▁return ) ▁of ▁going ▁head - to - head ▁with ▁the ▁NFL . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁direct ▁result ▁of ▁this ▁decision , ▁the ▁Pitts burgh ▁Ma ul ers ▁fol ded ▁rather ▁than ▁comp ete ▁with ▁the ▁Pitts burgh ▁Ste el ers , ▁the ▁sale ▁of ▁the ▁struggling ▁Washington ▁Feder als ▁to ▁We iser ' s ▁Miami - based ▁ownership ▁group ▁col lapsed , ▁the ▁New ▁Orleans ▁Bre akers ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁champion ▁Philadelphia ▁Stars ▁had ▁to ▁re loc ate , ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁champion ▁Michigan ▁Pan thers ▁surprised ▁the ▁commission er ▁with ▁an ▁announ cement ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁playing ▁in ▁the ▁Detroit ▁area ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁season . ▁ ▁Pan thers ▁owner ▁A . ▁Alfred ▁Ta ub man ▁informed ▁the ▁league ▁at ▁the ▁meeting ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁negoti ated ▁a ▁conditional ▁mer ger ▁with ▁T ad ▁Ta ube ' s ▁Oak land ▁Inv aders ▁depending ▁on ▁the ▁outcome ▁of ▁the ▁vote , ▁with ▁Ta ub man ▁as ▁majority ▁owner . ▁With ▁an ▁expectation ▁of ▁fall ▁play ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁Ein horn ▁decided ▁not ▁to ▁field ▁a ▁team ▁for ▁the ▁final ▁l ame ▁du ck ▁spring ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁season . ▁Within ▁a ▁few ▁weeks ▁of ▁the ▁decision ,