New Owner for Express Is Sought

The Los Angeles Express is once again looking for an owner.

At the United States Football League’s owners meeting in New York this week, it was announced that Jay Roulier, the Denver real estate developer who purchased the Express in October, will be returning to Houston to resume one-third ownership of the Gamblers.

Roulier had agreed to use the $4.5 million equity he had in the Gamblers to purchase the financially plagued Express franchise. But problems arose when the Gamblers couldn’t find a replacement for Roulier.

“I’m sure he feels badly,” Express President and General Manager Don Klosterman said of Roulier. “I know he wanted this franchise.”

Roulier could not be reached for comment.

Until a new owner of the Express is found, the team will be operated by the USFL, which will dip into its $24 million emergency fund to keep the team afloat.

Harry Usher, who recently replaced Chet Simmons as USFL commissioner, said Thursday that the league, if necessary, would operate the Express for the entire season.

“We’re starting the season with 14 teams and we’ll finish with 14 teams,” said Usher, who officially becomes commissioner today. “We won’t be folding any franchises.”

The decision to take over operation of the Express was made at an 11-hour owners meeting on Wednesday. The league also agreed to provide financial aid to the Gamblers.

Sources in Houston said Thursday that the league asked Roulier to return to the Gamblers because the USFL felt Houston’s financial problems were easier to solve.

Also, with the USFL season opening in less than a month, the league faced a sticky situation of dual ownership. Because a replacement could not be found for him in Houston, Roulier was still technically part-owner of the Gamblers.

The Express opens the season against the Gamblers, and the league couldn’t allow Roulier to have a financial interest in both teams.

Klosterman and Usher vehemently denied a report by a Southern California radio station Thursday that claimed the Express was in serious financial trouble and could disband as early as next week.

“It’s absolutely wrong,” Klosterman said of the report. “It’s erroneous to report that. The fans and players know that we’ll be here in 1985.”

ABC-TV agreed to televise USFL games with the understanding there would be teams in the nation’s major markets--New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. So it is important to the league that the Express continue to operate.

Klosterman said Roulier’s decision to go back to Houston is not another black mark in the three-year history of the Express.

“This is a positive thing,” he said. “Once you digest all this, you’ll realize that this shows that the owners have conviction, just by the fact that they’d be willing to run our franchise.”

Klosterman also said that he didn’t think finding an owner would be a problem.

The Express, led by quarterback Steve Young, won the USFL’s Pacific Division last season.