They joined the league in 1981 after the original NASL Express were moved to Washington D.C. to replace the Diplomats who had folded at the end of 1980.

The ASL Express played their home games in the Pontiac Silverdome and then at Tartar Field on the campus of Wayne State University.

They then won the championship, defeating the Georgia Generals in the semi-finals and the Oklahoma City Slickers in the finals.

Detroit players Brian Tinnion, Andy Chapman, and Billy Boljevic were 1, 2 and 4 overall in league scoring.

The Express struggled to a 12–13 record (the league instituted a shootout rule for the season) to finish 2nd in the Western Division behind the Dallas Americans, and did not make the playoffs.