▁the ▁US FL ▁had ▁been ▁forced ▁to ▁abandon ▁four ▁luc r ative ▁mark ets , ▁abort ▁a ▁move ▁to ▁a ▁fifth ▁and ▁susp end ▁operations ▁in ▁a ▁sixth . ▁In ▁h inds ight , ▁this ▁destroyed ▁the ▁US FL ' s ▁vi ability , ▁although ▁the ▁Ma ul ers ▁fol ding ▁likely ▁would ' ve ▁happened ▁anyway ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁team ▁being ▁owned ▁by ▁sho pping ▁m all ▁magn ate ▁Edward ▁J . ▁De B art olo ▁Sr . ▁( who ▁also ▁owned ▁the ▁National ▁Hockey ▁League ' s ▁Pitts burgh ▁P engu ins ▁at ▁the ▁time ), ▁whose ▁son ▁Edward ▁J . ▁De B art olo ▁Jr . ▁owned ▁the ▁Super ▁Bowl ▁champion ▁San ▁Francisco ▁ 4 9 ers ▁( a ▁team ▁now ▁owned ▁by ▁his ▁sister ▁Den ise ▁De B art olo ▁York ), ▁causing ▁a ▁potential ▁conflict ▁of ▁interest ▁for ▁the ▁family ▁between ▁the ▁US FL ▁and ▁the ▁NFL . ▁ ▁ABC ▁offered ▁the ▁US FL ▁a ▁ 4 - year , ▁$ 1 7 5 ▁million ▁TV ▁deal ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁ ▁ESP N ▁offered ▁$ 7 0 M ▁over ▁ 3 ▁years . ▁ ▁Following ▁all ▁the ▁mer gers ▁and ▁shut down s , ▁there ▁just ▁were ▁not ▁enough ▁spring ▁football ▁advoc ates ▁left ▁in ▁the ▁league ▁to ▁accept ▁those ▁contract s . ▁ ▁The ▁own ers ▁in ▁the ▁league ▁walked ▁away ▁from ▁what ▁aver aged ▁out ▁to ▁$ 6 7 ▁million ▁per ▁year ▁starting ▁in ▁ 1 9