The team won the first USFL championship in 1983. The team had good fan support and played at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, however after the 1984 season was over and the USFL decided to go to a fall schedule in 1986 the Panthers would be locked out of the dome as it was also home to the NFL's Detroit Lions. The Panthers merged with the Oakland Invaders for the 1985 USFL season.