▁Ban asz ak . ▁ ▁Con sequently , ▁after ▁a ▁ 1 – 4 ▁start , ▁the ▁team ▁jel led ▁and ▁finished ▁the ▁regular ▁season ▁ 1 1 – 2 , ▁ed ging ▁out ▁Chicago ▁for ▁the ▁Central ▁Division ▁title . ▁They ▁dispatch ed ▁Oak land ▁in ▁the ▁play offs ▁ 3 7 – 2 1 ▁and ▁weather ed ▁a ▁fr antic ▁com eb ack ▁by ▁the ▁Stars ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁first ▁league ▁champions . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁whole , ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁season ▁was ▁a ▁success ▁for ▁the ▁league . ▁Att endance ▁was ▁in ▁line ▁with ▁league ▁expect ations ▁at ▁about ▁ 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁fans ▁per ▁game , ▁and ▁television ▁ratings ▁slightly ▁exceed ed ▁pro jections ▁( an ▁average ▁N iel sen ▁rating ▁of ▁ 6 . 1 , ▁when ▁the ▁league ▁had ▁aim ed ▁for ▁ 5 . 0 ). ▁The ▁brand ▁of ▁play ▁was ▁exc iting ▁and ▁entertain ing , ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁championship ▁was ▁generally ▁recognized ▁as ▁being ▁a ▁more ▁entertain ing ▁game ▁than ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁Super ▁Bow ls ▁of ▁the ▁era . ▁Even ▁in ▁cities ▁where ▁the ▁fans ▁were ▁not ▁numerous , ▁the ▁fan ▁base ▁was ▁passion ate ; ▁the ▁document ary ▁Small ▁Pot atoes : ▁Who ▁Kil led ▁the ▁US FL ? ▁made ▁note ▁of ▁a ▁regular - season ▁game ▁in ▁which ▁Boston ▁Bre akers ▁fans ▁storm ed ▁the ▁field ▁following ▁a ▁come - from - be hind ▁victory ▁at ▁Nick erson ▁Field . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1