USFL announces eight franchises for 2022 reboot

 The United States Football League is back and will have its first season in 36 years when it begins play in April 2022.

On Monday, the league announced the eight franchises that will represent the USFL in its upcoming season. In the North Division, there will be the Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars and Pittsburgh Maulers. In the South, the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers and Tampa Bay Bandits.

"We're excited to take this next major step in the development of a new USFL," League president Brian Woods said in a statement. "These eight teams form the core of our initial league membership and will represent an exciting brand of professional football coming this spring. We look forward to the start of our inaugural season."

The original USFL was founded in 1982 and lasted for just three seasons before an antitrust lawsuit filed against the NFL effectively bankrupted the league. All eight of the teams that will play in the reboot version existed at some point during the USFL's original three-year run.

Fans in the eight cities won't be able to see their home town team any time soon, though. The league will play all of its games in 2022 in a yet to be announced city and expects teams will host games in their home market in the future.

Steve Young, Jim Kelly, Reggie White, and Herschel Walker are among the notable alumni of the original USFL.