Tad Taube, owner of the defunct Oakland...

Tad Taube, owner of the defunct Oakland Invaders of the United States Football League, warned more than two years ago that the league would fail unless limits on salaries were adhered to, according to a memo introduced into court as the NFL opened its defense in the antitrust suit against the league in New York.

The letter, dated Nov. 9, 1983, was one of a number of documents introduced in the NFL’s defense, which is built on its contention that the USFL caused problems for itself by overspending and switching from a spring schedule to a fall season.

Other documents introduced--citing the USFL’s supposedly self-created problems--included a memo from USFL marketing director Dom Camera, a report from John Bassett, the late owner of the Tampa Bay Bandits, and minutes of league meetings.