▁to ▁shut ▁down ▁the ▁Bl itz , ▁who ▁had ▁lost ▁nearly ▁$ 6 ▁million ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁The ▁assets ▁of ▁Di eth rich ' s ▁Arizona ▁W r ang lers ▁( see ▁Chicago ▁Bl itz ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 3 ) ▁would ▁be ▁acquired ▁by ▁the ▁T ath ams ▁in ▁a ▁deal ▁often ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁a ▁" mer ger ", ▁as ▁the ▁ro sters ▁were ▁merged . ▁The ▁resulting ▁Arizona ▁Out la ws ▁featured ▁players ▁from ▁both ▁teams ▁but ▁was ▁run ▁by ▁the ▁T ath ams . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁season ▁ ▁G amb lers ▁minor ity ▁owner ▁Jay ▁Rou lier ▁agreed ▁to ▁buy ▁the ▁Express , ▁but ▁was ▁pushed ▁out ▁in ▁short ▁order ▁during ▁training ▁camp ▁after ▁it ▁emer ged ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁mis led ▁league ▁officials ▁about ▁his ▁net ▁worth . ▁The ▁league ▁took ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁and ▁decided ▁to ▁run ▁it ▁on ▁a ▁sho est ring ▁until ▁a ▁new ▁owner ▁could ▁be ▁found . ▁The ▁league ▁fin anced ▁and ▁ran ▁the ▁Express ▁all ▁season , ▁but ▁could ▁not ▁find ▁an ▁owner . ▁With ▁a ▁huge ▁sal ary ▁bur den ▁and ▁dread ful ▁attend ance , ▁the ▁Express ▁bare ly ▁surv ived ▁the ▁season . ▁O wn ers ▁agree ▁to ▁a ▁ 4 - year ▁C BA ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Football ▁League ▁Play ers ▁Association . ▁ ▁San ▁Antonio ▁G uns ling ers ▁owner ▁Cl inton ▁M anges ▁stopped ▁pay ing ▁the ▁team ' s ▁b ills ▁with ▁about