'86 Chronology-Break Down

Event Date: August 4th, 1986

Event Description: Canizaro Concerned

Source: Football News

New Orleans Breakers owner Joseph Canizaro has told fellow USFL team owners he was surprised by the recent call by Superdome officials to increase the teams’ rent for the 1987 season and beyond.

Canizaro told a closed session of league owners in Jacksonville, that he could soon be “looking for their help to find a new home,” the Times Picayune said, quoting other unidentified team owners.

Several owners told the newspaper Canizaro's comments indicate “he wants to get out of town,” since he would need the owners' permission to move the team to another city.

“That was the impression I got,” one USFL owner said.

Canizaro recently hinted that he would try to move elsewhere Superdome officials follow through with their plan to modify the current lease.

The Times quoted one owner as saying Canizaro told the group: 

“When I bought the team, I never thought that local officials would try and change the terms of our lease. But with the current economic problems in Louisiana, I guess they have decided that they will try and extort more revenue from us.”

The Breakers played in Boston during the 1983 season but moved to New Orleans due to the condition of Nickerson Field. 

The team had previously considered a move to Portland or Sacramento before settling on the Crescent city where they have played for the past three seasons.

Story-(UPI Modified)