5 ) ▁▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁proposal ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁j ury ▁award ▁in ▁US FL ▁v . ▁NFL ' ', ▁the ▁league ▁had ▁planned ▁to ▁go ▁forward ▁with ▁a ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁season ▁with ▁eight ▁teams , ▁divided ▁into ▁an ▁" Ind ep end ence ▁Division " ▁and ▁a ▁" L iber ty ▁Division ": ▁ ▁Independ ence ▁Division ▁ ▁Arizona ▁Out la ws ▁ ▁Jackson ville ▁Bull s 1 ▁▁ ▁Or lando ▁Ren eg ades ▁ ▁T ampa ▁Bay ▁Band its ▁ ▁Liber ty ▁Division ▁ ▁Baltimore ▁Stars ▁ ▁B irmingham ▁St all ions ▁ ▁M emph is ▁Show bo ats ▁ ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Gener als 2 ▁▁ 1 ▁merged ▁with ▁Den ver ▁Gold ▁ 2 ▁merged ▁with ▁Houston ▁G amb lers ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁legal ▁after math ▁of ▁the ▁failed ▁law suit ▁against ▁the ▁NFL , ▁the ▁US FL ▁fol ded ▁and ▁this ▁divis ional ▁format ▁never ▁came ▁to ▁f ru ition . ▁ ▁Out ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 3 ▁US FL ▁teams , ▁only ▁five ▁played ▁for ▁the ▁league ' s ▁entire ▁three - season ▁duration ▁without ▁re loc ating ▁or ▁changing ▁team ▁names : ▁Den ver ▁Gold , ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Express , ▁B irmingham ▁St all ions , ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Gener als , ▁and ▁T ampa ▁Bay ▁Band its . ▁Only ▁the ▁latter ▁three ▁teams ▁would ▁have ▁remained ▁on ▁this ▁list ▁if ▁the ▁league ▁had ▁continued ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁ ▁Season - by - season ▁▁ 1 9 8 3