New Jersey Generals offensive lineman Calvin Ashley (71) looks at the scoreboard as the Birmingham Stallions pull away during the second half of a USFL football game at Protective Stadium. Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

USFL cuts four teams as merger with XFL begins to take shape

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated Dec 21, 2023 4:25 PM ET

Two of the teams that played in the 2023 USFL playoffs will cease to exist in the newly formed league merging the USFL and XFL next year.

When the new league kicks off in March 2024, the New Jersey Generals, New Orleans Breakers, Philadelphia Stars and Pittsburgh Maulers will not be part of it, according to a report from Front Office Sports, leaving the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, Memphis Showboats and Michigan Panthers as the only holdovers from the USFL’s 2023 iteration.

Pittsburgh (4-6, 4-2) and New Orleans (7-3, 4-2) both participated in the 2023 USFL postseason with the former advancing to the USFL championship game where the Maulers fell 28-12 to the Birmingham Stallions.

The XFL is expected to also cut four of its eight teams, which include the Arlington Renegades, D.C. Defenders, Houston Roughnecks, Orlando Guardians, San Antonio Brahmas, Seattle Sea Dragons, St. Louis BattleHawks and Vegas Vipers.

NEWS: In addition to the dispersal draft currently slated for January 15th, there is going to be a "mini-draft" on December 27th for both leagues, per sources.

- As it stands right now, there will be #XFL and #USFL divisions in the new #UFL
- Each league will hold a draft, with… pic.twitter.com/7mGlluYIFG
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) December 21, 2023

Should the XFL base its decision on average attendance from last season, St. Louis (35,104), D.C. (16,112), San Antonio (14,983) and Seattle (12,328) would be the obvious choices to stay.

D.C., Seattle, Houston and Arlington all made the playoffs in 2023 with Arlington knocking off D.C. to win the XFL championship game in May.

The merged league’s games are expected to be broadcast on ESPN, ABC and Fox Sports. NBC, which carried USFL games in 2022 and 2023, will not broadcast games in 2024. Additional details and announcements are expected about the new league in the coming weeks.

Michael Gallagher

Michael Gallagher is a longtime sports journalist based out of Nashville with a decade of experience covering college football, mixed martial arts and prep sports plus the NFL and NHL — specifically the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators. He’s covered several notable sporting events including an AFC Championship game, a Stanley Cup Final, an NHL All-Star Game and an NHL Stadium Series. Some of his past bylines can be found at the Nashville Scene, SB Nation, The Hockey News and Fox Sports Knoxville

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