Story and Mission

Welcome to the USFL Distant Replay. The league comes from a simple question. What if the USFL not only never folded, but instead continued and thrived as a league independent of the NFL. I came up with the idea about 20 years ago and tried to build it into a web page. Young children and a busy work life kept me from giving the league as much time and energy I wanted to sustain it. And, so, it went onto the shelf until a couple of years ago. I then simply took the plunge,started it up again. Since then, we have 4 full seasons of the league simulated with a new addition of 4 expansion teams in the 1987 season.

My mission is both to create and honor history. I love sports and sports history. When I was in high school, I created a hockey league and simulated entire seasons using the polyhedral dice from my Dungeons and Dragons set. Then, when I discovered sports simulator board games, I played the APBA style games for both baseball and football many times over. That led to the discovery of Dave Koch simulators, the idea of the USFL DIstant Replay, time to build the web pages and simulate the games, and now the ABF.

League Identity

Instead of the USFL running into mismanagement, money problems, and a tour de force that seemed intent on destroying the league, imagine if it survived and thrived. Spring football that competes with the NFL for some of the talented players from college. The ability to innovate on both offense and defense. Smaller rosters allow for more playing time for the players. Sound too good to be true?

Sadly, you are right. However, thanks to the wonders of the internet, an awesome football simulator, and my imagination, it’s more than just a dream. The USFL, the league that puts the fans first with local players through the territorial draft, affordable tickets, and regular player meet and greets, lives on and exists parallel to the NFL. In addition to providing some players that prove themselves ready for professional football, the USFL also innovates the game itself. 2 point conversions, rules changes to help both the offense and defense, and other rules changes in the works allow the USFL to test new ideas and find new ways to enjoy football.

Commisioner’s Note

My name is Shawn Lucas. I’m a 50 year old high school math teacher, husband, and father. I enjoy creative project and sports. Along with the ABF and USFL Distant Replay, I hope to create an alternate timeline for the NFL/AFL merger and major league baseball (not sure of the angle here just yet). Be on the lookout for those projects and please bookmark both sites to follow along as the stories unfold. Thanks for visiting. Let’s rewrite history together.

For more, visit and read the Credits/Faq page.