Tagliabue Gives Deposition in Trial

NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue had a 4 1/2-hour videotaped deposition Friday in St. Louis’ antitrust lawsuit against the league, and it’s only the first installment.

Left uncovered in questioning by lawyer Alan Popkin of the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission was Tagliabue’s off-color response when told of the city’s $130-million lawsuit.

The crux of the lawsuit is a $29-million relocation fee the Rams were assessed in April 1995. League owners voted down the move a month before the team substantially upped the financial ante.

Three months after the Rams’ move, the Raiders moved to Oakland with no fee imposed.

Tagliabue said there was no set formula for determining payment for teams wanting to move.

“With Mr. [John] Shaw [Ram president], it was a negotiation,” Tagliabue said. “It’s turned out to be different things in different contexts.”