 The ownership group, along with Bernard H. Ridder Jr., forfeited its AFL membership (which was subsequently passed onto the Oakland Raiders) and then were awarded the National Football League's 14th franchise with play to begin in 1961 on January 28, 1960.Ole Haugsrud was added to the NFL team ownership because of an agreement he had with the NFL since the 1920s when he sold his Duluth Eskimos team back to the league.The agreement allowed him 10% of any future Minnesota team.