'85 USFL: August League Meetings

Event Date: August 23rd, 1985

Event Description: U.S.F.L. League Meetings

Source: United Press International

Representatives of all 14 USFL franchises met for seven hours in the final of a series of summer get-togethers to restructure the struggling league and there was a strong feeling of accomplishment and optimism.

All teams agreed to waive their rights to Carter, who starred for the Oakland Invaders last season and has entered into agreement with Minnesota of the NFL.

'The circumstances were such that it really was the best deicision from a league point of view,' Usher said. 'I reviewed the facts and note that 73 former USFL players are in NFL camps now and many of those are home-grown USFL players who developed over the one or two or three years of our league.

'We're flattered that the NFL, who keeps describing us as minor league, sees fit to take these players that are available.'

Usher said a decision was made to play in the more traditional football period of September to January rather than from November to March as had been considered.

Most of the time during the afternoon session was devoted to discussing specific franchises, notably Portland, San Antonio, Chicago and Oakland.

-- Usher said that Portland's management indicated it would not immediately be an active club for 1986 but was extended a grace period in the hope of obtaining additional capital or the possibility of a merger.

Usher said Portland's representatives produced a suitcase containing $23,000 business cards from city residents indicating their support for a franchise. The grace period will extend until such time as the 1986 league schedule is put together, probably at the end of this year.

-- Usher said charges were dropped against San Antonio in exchange for management's agreement to comply with the collective bargaining agreement and in respects to set a timetable for stocking their offseason roster.

The charges had been brought against the team to act in a more business-like fashion in regard to payment of their players. Management must produce a letter of credit for $500,000 by Oct. 15 and also pay players their back salaries.

-- Chicago did not field a team last season but Eddie Einhorn has the rights to a USFL franchise in that city. Usher said the league would like to work toward having a franchise in Chicago.

-- Usher said reports that Oakland is folding and that General Manager Vince Lombardi was fired 'are directly traceable back to NFL sources and they are not true. Vince Lombardi has not been fired.'

Lombardi attended Friday's meeting.

There is some difference of opinion among the owners on how many teams should be in the league for the fall 1986 season. Trump wants eight, but Usher said that the New Jersey owner would be happy with 12 if they were 12 strong teams. Usher said the league's television contract with ESPN calls for 12 teams 'and we will deliver 12 teams.' Usher said he hopes one of those teams is Los Angeles.

more to come......