Small Potatoes: Who Killed the USFL?

The league began with a cautious plan: play in spring, control costs and complement rather than compete with the NFL. Early television contracts with ABC and ESPN gave it a solid base.

Spending on star players quickly raised costs, and rapid expansion added teams in smaller markets.

New Jersey Generals owner Donald Trump pushed for a move to the autumn to compete directly with the NFL, and for an antitrust lawsuit against the established league.

In 1986 the jury found the NFL guilty of monopolisation but awarded the USFL just $1 in damages, trebled to $3. The league never played its planned fall season.

For anyone launching or managing a league, Small Potatoes is a classic case study in strategy. Discipline on costs, patience and a clear market position matter as much as talent.

It also shows how individual owners' ambitions can override a league's collective plan.

Recent spring leagues, including revived versions of the USFL and the XFL, faced similar questions about schedules, media deals and sustainable spending.

Watch Small Potatoes if you work in league operations, sport business strategy or broadcasting.

This Shelf feature reflects the film's story and themes; it is not a scene-by-scene review.