USFL Owners Have Three Options Left at Today’s Meeting--Play, Wait or Fold

USFL owners, angered and confused in the wake of a federal court jury’s award of just $3 in damages from the NFL, will have to stand together when they meet today or the league could fold.

Commissioner Harry Usher, whose league sought $1.69 billion in an antitrust action against the NFL, says he envisions owners taking one of three courses of action. They could cease operations, suspend them for one season or begin their fourth year of play--first in the traditional fall season.

“It won’t really be a vote,” Usher said in an interview with the New York Times. “It’s a decision the league will have to make. If it’s 5 to 3 to play, you can’t play with five teams.”

It may not be that convincing in terms of those favoring continuation. Pre-meeting reports show the vote as 4-4, with New Jersey, Tampa Bay, Orlando and Arizona pushing for continuation, and Baltimore, Birmingham, Jacksonville and Memphis leaning toward one of the other alternatives.

“The NFL thinks we don’t have enough guts, that we’ll just be quiet and fold up our tents; that makes me angry,” New Jersey Generals President Jerry Argovitz told the Washington Post. “We want to play football; we want to compete. What the hell did we ever do wrong but want free enterprise and spend $200 million to prove you can have it?”

If the eight decide to play a fall schedule--play is set to begin Sept. 13--losses for each team without a commercial network contract are projected at $3 million to $5 million. Some feel that’s too large a sum to swallow, again.

“If it’s a question of losing money with no future, who the hell wants to play?” Baltimore Stars owner Stephen Ross asked.

“We’re not going to play just to say we did it,” Birmingham Stallions General Manager Jerry Sklar said. “There has to be a future, a reason, to play.”

Arizona Outlaws co-owner and General Manager Bill Tatham has suggested a two-month layoff, but some owners are expected to enter the meeting with a this-year-or-nothing attitude.