▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁as ▁did ▁high - profile ▁NFL ▁stars ▁like ▁Doug ▁Williams , ▁Brian ▁Si pe , ▁Joe ▁C rib bs , ▁and ▁Gary ▁Bar bar o . ▁ ▁Spring ▁schedule ▁vs . ▁fall ▁schedule ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁the ▁league ▁began ▁discuss ing ▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁compet ing ▁head - to - head ▁with ▁the ▁NFL ▁by ▁playing ▁its ▁games ▁in ▁the ▁fall ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁strong est ▁pro ponents ▁of ▁playing ▁in ▁the ▁fall ▁were ▁Chicago ▁owner ▁Edd ie ▁Ein horn ▁and ▁Gener als ▁owner ▁Donald ▁Trump . ▁ ▁Ein horn ▁and ▁Trump ▁argued ▁that ▁if ▁the ▁US FL ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁fall , ▁it ▁would ▁eventually ▁force ▁a ▁mer ger ▁with ▁the ▁NFL ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁older ▁league ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁admit ▁at ▁least ▁some ▁US FL ▁teams . ▁ ▁They ▁also ▁argued ▁that ▁if ▁a ▁mer ger ▁did ▁occur , ▁the ▁surv iving ▁teams ' ▁original ▁invest ment ▁would ▁more ▁than ▁double . ▁ ▁A ▁consult ing ▁firm ▁recommended ▁stick ing ▁with ▁a ▁spring ▁season . ▁ ▁Despite ▁the ▁protest s ▁of ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁league ' s ▁" old ▁guard ", ▁who ▁wanted ▁to ▁stay ▁with ▁the ▁original ▁plan ▁of ▁playing ▁football ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁months , ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁the ▁own ers ▁voted ▁to ▁move ▁to ▁the ▁fall ▁starting ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁. ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9