USFL Will Have Nine Teams--but No Express

The United States Football League announced a 1986 fall season that will have teams playing in at least nine cities--but not in Los Angeles--with the Denver Gold moving to Portland, Ore.

League President Harry Usher said the Gold will replace the Portland Breakers franchise, which collapsed financially at the end of the 1985 season and failed to pay its players and coaches $1.2 million in salaries and benefits.

Holding franchises under the current plan are New Jersey (a merger of the Houston Gamblers and the Generals), Baltimore, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Birmingham, Memphis, Phoenix and Portland. Dropped were Los Angeles, Oakland, Houston and San Antonio.

Usher would not rule out the possibility that the excluded teams could rejoin the league if financially able. He held little hope that Los Angeles could do so, however, since, according to league rules, owners had to post a $500,000 letter of credit with the USFL and be prepared to put up another $1 million in credit by March 1. The Express, which was operated by the league last season, did not meet that requirement.