8 5 – 1 9 8 6 ▁off - season ▁The ▁San ▁Antonio ▁G uns ling ers ▁had ▁their ▁franch ise ▁rev oked ▁when ▁M anges ▁ignored ▁a ▁league - im posed ▁dead line ▁to ▁make ▁rest itution ▁for ▁the ▁team ' s ▁deb ts . ▁The ▁Bre akers ▁were ▁dis band ed ▁after ▁owner ▁Joe ▁Can iz aro ▁suffered ▁two - year ▁losses ▁in ▁the ▁real m ▁of ▁$ 1 7 ▁million . ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁and ▁Oak land ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁susp end ▁operations . ▁Den ver ▁merged ▁with ▁Jackson ville , ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁season ▁in ▁Jackson ville , ▁while ▁Houston ▁merged ▁with ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁New ▁Jersey . ▁Although ▁Edd ie ▁Ein horn ▁remained ▁involved ▁with ▁the ▁league ' s ▁ant it rust ▁law suit , ▁he ▁opt ed ▁not ▁to ▁field ▁a ▁Chicago ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁US FL ' s ▁fall ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁season ▁as ▁planned , ▁and ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁left ▁off ▁the ▁proposed ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁schedule . ▁T ampa ▁Bay ▁initially ▁pulled ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁league , ▁prepared ▁to ▁continue ▁playing ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁even ▁if ▁it ▁meant ▁forming ▁a ▁new ▁league ; ▁owner ▁John ▁Bass ett ▁was , ▁in ▁either ▁case , ▁too ▁ill ▁to ▁continue ▁and ▁would ▁die ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁Lee ▁Sc arf one ▁agreed ▁to ▁take ▁over ▁the ▁Band its ' ▁US FL ▁franch ise ▁in ▁July ▁ 1