'83 Chronology-Breaking Away

Event Date: October 15th, 1983

Event Description:  Breaking Away

Source: United Press International

The Boston Breakers are expected to complete a deal to move to New Orleans within the next 48 hours, a newspaper reported today.

The Boston Globe said a top USFL league official has indicated the move is likely to be completely set by next Tuesday when league meetings begin in Houston.

If the final details of the deal are worked out by then, the league owners would be able to ratify an agreement.

It is not known whether owners George Matthews and Randy Vataha plan to sell the team outright to a group of New Orleans businessmen or whether they plan to retain partial interests in the team.

The USFL team has been in Boston for just a year and a move has been anticipated for several months because the team has not found a satisfactory playing field.

When Matthews, Vataha and a small group of investors bought the franchise a year ago, the team hoped to play in Harvard Stadium. But Harvard officials would not permit it and the team played on Boston University's Nickerson Field during the 1982-1983 season.

Although the Breakers played well, ending the season with a (9-9) record, attendance was poor and the team lost nearly $2.5 million.

The Breakers found the BU field too small and after negotiations with the New England Patriots to play at Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro fellthrough, the team began looking for a new home.

Since July, the owners have talked with representatives of Memphis, Indianapolis, Akron, Seattle Portland and Hawaii.

Story-(UPI)