s ▁case , ▁they ▁shared ▁with ▁two ▁NFL ▁teams ). ▁ ▁Compet ition ▁vs . ▁NFL ▁ ▁The ▁D ixon ▁Plan ▁vs . ▁building ▁a ▁league ▁of ▁stars ▁At ▁first ▁the ▁US FL ▁competed ▁with ▁the ▁older , ▁more ▁established ▁National ▁Football ▁League ▁by ▁following ▁the ▁D ixon ▁plan . ▁ ▁The ▁plan ▁allowed ▁the ▁league ▁to ▁comp ete ▁not ▁just ▁by ▁playing ▁its ▁games ▁on ▁a ▁March – J une ▁schedule ▁during ▁the ▁NFL ▁off - season , ▁but ▁also ▁by ▁having ▁ ▁Teams ▁play ▁in ▁large ▁NFL ▁cal iber ▁stad iums ▁ ▁Teams ▁plan ▁for ▁large ▁year ▁ 1 ▁pre - season ▁prom ot ional ▁bud gets ▁to ▁introduce ▁the ▁team ▁to ▁the ▁local ▁market . ▁ ▁A ▁tight ▁players ' ▁sal ary ▁cap ▁of ▁US $ 1 . 8 ▁million ▁per ▁team . ▁ ▁The ▁NFL ▁introduced ▁a ▁sal ary ▁cap ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁ ▁A ▁territorial ▁draft , ▁ ▁to ▁better ▁stock ▁teams ▁with ▁familiar ▁local ▁colleg iate ▁stars ▁to ▁help ▁the ▁gate . ▁( Sim ilar ▁to ▁the ▁proposed ▁All - American ▁Football ▁League ▁and ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁now - def unct ▁Alliance ▁of ▁American ▁Football ) ▁ ▁The ▁D ixon ▁plan ▁laid ▁out ▁a ▁budget ▁to ▁allow ▁all ▁teams ▁to ▁manage ▁losses ▁in ▁the ▁initial ▁lean ▁years . ▁As ▁mentioned ▁earlier , ▁pros pective ▁own ers ▁had ▁to ▁meet ▁strict ▁capital ization ▁requirements ▁and ▁post ▁a ▁$ 1 . 3 ▁million ▁line ▁of ▁credit ▁for ▁emer gen cies . ▁▁ ▁The ▁league '