 The 1986 season was scheduled to be played in the autumn/winter, directly competing against the long-established National Football League (NFL).However, the USFL ceased operations before that season was scheduled to begin.The ideas behind the USFL were conceived in 1965 by New Orleans businessman David Dixon, who saw a market for a professional football league that would play in the summer, when the National Football League and college football were in their off-season.