9 8 3 – 1 9 8 4 ▁off - season ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁the ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Gener als ▁were ▁sold ▁to ▁real - est ate ▁magn ate ▁Donald ▁Trump . ▁The ▁Boston ▁Bre akers ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁more ▁suitable ▁ven ue ▁within ▁Boston ▁and ▁its ▁surrounding ▁areas , ▁so ▁the ▁Bre akers ▁re located ▁to ▁New ▁Orleans ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁and ▁later ▁sold ▁to ▁New ▁Orleans ▁business man ▁Joseph ▁Can iz aro . ▁See ing ▁the ▁out ▁of ▁control ▁sp ending ▁w ors ening , ▁B land ing ▁sold ▁his ▁Den ver ▁Gold ▁to ▁Doug ▁Sp ed ding ▁for ▁$ 1 0 ▁million . ▁ ▁B land ing ▁is ▁widely ▁thought ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁only ▁owner ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁profit ▁on ▁the ▁US FL . ▁Need ing ▁fresh ▁capital , ▁the ▁league ▁chose ▁to ▁expand ▁league ▁membership ▁from ▁ 1 2 ▁to ▁ 1 8 ▁teams , ▁adding ▁the ▁Pitts burgh ▁Ma ul ers , ▁Houston ▁G amb lers , ▁San ▁Antonio ▁G uns ling ers , ▁M emph is ▁Show bo ats , ▁Oklahoma ▁Out la ws ▁and ▁Jackson ville ▁Bull s . ▁The ▁D ixon ▁plan ▁called ▁for ▁expansion ▁to ▁ 1 6 ▁in ▁the ▁league ' s ▁second ▁year . ▁ ▁The ▁Out la ws ▁were ▁originally ▁sl ated ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁San ▁Diego , ▁but ▁as ▁was ▁the ▁case ▁with ▁what ▁became ▁the ▁Express , ▁could ▁not ▁get ▁a ▁le ase ▁for ▁Jack