'88 Chronology-King Kagel

Event Date: September 13th, 1988

Event Description: 'King' of Arbitrators Summoned

Source: Football News

Enough progress was made over the weekend in merger talks between the National Football League and the U.S. Football League for both sides to call on Sam Kagel a prominent labor mediator and arbitrator. 

Kagel has helped settle thousands of labor disputes, and is best known for his work on the 1982 National Football League strike. 

During that dispute the league and the players union agreed to bring in Kagel as a mediator. Kagel has also helped to settle strikes involving dock workers, nurses, hotel and restaurant workers as well as a variety of other industries.

Kagel is set to meet with NFL general counsel Frank Rothman, N.F.L. commissioner Pete Rozelle, a small group of N.F.L. owners and U.S.F.L. officials led by Harry Usher and Steve Ehrhart.

Most of the N.F.L. owners were in favor of taking in two to four teams from the U.S.F.L., but there are also plans that would admit five or six teams according to inside sources.

Asking Kagel to join the negotiations was an obvious move by the N.F.L. to make certain there would be no legal problems should they vote for amalgamation.

The N.F.L. and U.S.F.L. lawyers are also due in court next week to inform Judge Leisure as to the progress of their merger talks. Leisure had suggested that the leagues talk and attempt to reach an out‐of‐court settlement.

Optimism regarding a merger was triggered when Usher learned that the N.F.L. would support the merger if they could reach an agreement on indemnification, player movement and other issues including television contracts. 

more to come......