'86 Chronology-February Owners Meeting

Event Date: February 12th-14th, 1986

Internal Memo: USFL Owners Meeting

Re: Spring Issues

The owners considered the following; 

• Received an open letter from Arizona Outlaws owner William Tatham Sr., calling on the league to pool its resources, if necessary, so as to sign top college rookies for the 1986 season. 

• Received an open letter from Oakland Invaders owner Tad Taube calling on all owners to strictly adhere to the salary cap guidelines for the 1986 season.

• Received a confidential letter from Tampa Bay Bandits owner John Bassett to begin exploratory talks with L.A. Raiders owner Al Davis regarding a reconciliation/accomodation plan between the N.F.L. and United States Football League.

• Received an open letter from New Jersey Generals owner Donald J. Trump calling for the league to again consider a move to the fall starting with the 1987 season.

• Received a recommendation from the ownership committee to approve the majority sale of the Los Angeles Express to the Jay Roulier Consortium.

• Received a confidential report regarding the finances of the league and its individual teams as of the start of the 1986 season.

• Received an update from league attorneys regarding the Philadelphia Stars anti-trust suit against the National Football League.

• Received an update from league attorneys regarding the Oakland Invaders $90 million anti-trust suit against the National Football League regarding their attempts to injure the Oakland Invaders franchise.

• Received a preliminary report from Frank N. Magid Associates, Inc. to explain 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.

The owners agreed to the following;

• Approved a motion to have the Competition Committee immediately consider the signing of top college prospects for the 1986 season.

• Approved a motion by Memphis Showboats owner William Dunavant to the form an exploratory committee to further examine the Bassett-NFL (Davis) proposal.

• Approved a motion from Michigan Panthers owner A.Alfred Taubman to combine the Stars and Invaders anti-trust lawsuits into one USFL vs. NFL anti-trust lawsuit.

• Approved the terms of the final sale of the Los Angeles Express to Jay Roulier. (The league will continue to own a minority position in the league.)

• The owners agreed to meet again in April with the final date TBD.