Usher was named the commissioner of the United States Football League on January 15, 1985, succeeding Chet Simmons who had resigned the previous day. After signing a three-year contract, he inherited a league that continued to incur heavy financial losses. ESPN had renewed its network television deal for three years. ABC, knowing that the USFL was moving to an autumn schedule in 1986 in direct competition with the more-established National Football League (NFL), decided to televise games for only the 1985 season.
