'85 Chronology-September Owners Meetings

Event Date: September 7th-8th, 1985

Internal Memo: United States Football League Owners Meeting

Re: 1985-86 Off-Season

The owners considered the following; 

1. A recommendation from John Bassett to issue a Fan Bill of Rights for the 1986 season and beyond.
2. A recommendation from the Television Committee to begin exploratory talks with alternative cable entities, including the Turner Networks, and other satellite providers for television rights to the 1986 season and beyond.
3. A recommendation from the Finance Committee to set the 1986 Salary Cap at $3.0 million with special exemptions for players with personal service contracts. 
4. A recommendation from the Competition Committee to hold the  dispersal draft for the players impacted by the Pittsburgh-Philadelphia merger on October 1st, 1985.
5. A recommendation from the Competition Committee to reduce the Taxi Squad from ten to five players.
6. A recommendation from the Competition Committee for the league to hold the annual college territorial and open drafts on Friday, January 3rd.
7. Received a confidential report was issued to each owner regarding the finances of the league and its individual teams as of the end of the 1985 league year.
8. Received an update from league attorneys regarding the recently filed Philadelphia Stars anti-trust suit against the National Football League regarding the NFL Supplemental Draft.
9. Received an update from league attorneys regarding the upcoming filing of the Oakland Invaders $90 million anti-trust suit against the National Football League regarding their attempts to injure the Oakland Invaders franchise.

The owners agreed to the following;

1. A recommendation to accept a USFL Fan Bill of Rights for the 1986 season and beyond as authored by Steve Ehrhart. 
2. Approved the move of the Philadelphia Stars to the city of Baltimore.
3. Approved the terms of merger of the Pittsburgh Maulers and the Baltimore Stars. 
4. Approved the final sale of 65% of the Houston Gamblers to Stephen Ross. 
5. Approved the final sale of the Birmingham Stallions to Howard Ripps, Ed Hardin, Larry Lemak, Aaron Aronov, Fred Berman, Charles Chilleci, Harold Blach, Bernard Rappoport and Jerry Sklar.
6. The owners approved the salary cap relief loan for the Los Angeles Express.
7. The owners accepted the recommendations of the Competition Committee regarding the January drafts and the reduction of each teams' Taxi Squad to five players for the 1986 season.
8. Agreed to hire Frank N. Magid Associates, Inc. to study the impact of a potential labor stoppage in the National Football League in 1987 on professional football as a whole and the U.S. Football League in particular.
9. Agreed to formally disbanded the college scouting service.
10. The owners agreed to meet again in October with the final date TBD.