▁Or lando , ▁would ▁receive ▁teams ▁from ▁the ▁numerous ▁short - l ived ▁pro ▁football ▁le agues ▁that ▁have ▁attempted ▁to ▁launch ▁in ▁the ▁years ▁that ▁have ▁followed , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁X FL ▁( which , ▁with ▁the ▁l one ▁exception ▁of ▁the ▁Las ▁Veg as ▁Out la ws , ▁res ided ▁entirely ▁in ▁US FL ▁mark ets ), ▁C FL , ▁U FL , ▁A AF ▁and ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁X FL . ▁ ▁The ▁collapse ▁of ▁the ▁US FL ▁had ▁a ▁particularly ▁positive ▁effect ▁on ▁the ▁NFL ' s ▁Buff alo ▁B ills . ▁The ▁B ills , ▁as ▁a ▁small - market ▁NFL ▁franch ise , ▁were ▁particularly ▁hard - hit ▁by ▁the ▁US FL ; ▁as ▁its ▁players ▁from ▁the ▁moder ately ▁successful ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁era ▁aged , ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁find ▁quality ▁rep lac ements ▁for ▁them ▁on ▁the ▁free ▁agent ▁market , ▁as ▁the ▁US FL ▁was ▁drawing ▁away ▁much ▁of ▁pro ▁football ' s ▁top ▁talent ▁( including ▁B ills ▁running ▁back ▁Joe ▁C rib bs ▁and ▁the ▁team ' s ▁planned ▁franch ise ▁quarter back ▁of ▁the ▁future , ▁Jim ▁Kelly ). ▁With ▁sub par ▁talent , ▁the ▁B ills ▁went ▁ 4 – 2 8 ▁over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁and ▁average ▁attend ance ▁at ▁Rich ▁Stadium ▁pl um met ed ▁to ▁under ▁ 3 0 , 0