▁j ury ▁felt ▁that ▁while ▁the ▁US FL ▁was ▁har med ▁by ▁the ▁NFL ' s ▁de ▁fact o ▁mon opol ization ▁of ▁pro ▁football ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁most ▁of ▁its ▁problems ▁were ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁own ▁mis management . ▁It ▁awarded ▁the ▁US FL ▁nom inal ▁dam ages ▁of ▁one ▁doll ar , ▁which ▁was ▁triple d ▁under ▁ant it rust ▁law ▁to ▁three ▁dollars . ▁▁ ▁When ▁Ro z elle ▁and ▁NFL ▁broadcast ing ▁chief ▁Val ▁Pin ch beck ▁initially ▁heard ▁the ▁ver dict , ▁they ▁were ▁dev ast ated ; ▁Pin ch beck ▁later ▁re called ▁that ▁he ▁thought ▁Ro z elle ▁would ▁have ▁a ▁heart ▁attack . ▁While ▁on ▁their ▁way ▁to ▁the ▁league ▁office , ▁however , ▁they ▁heard ▁that ▁the ▁US FL ▁had ▁lost ▁nearly ▁all ▁of ▁its ▁claims , ▁and ▁head ed ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁cour th ouse . ▁ ▁The ▁ver dict ▁was ▁a ▁classic ▁P yr rh ic ▁victory . ▁The ▁US FL ▁had ▁essentially ▁st aked ▁its ▁future ▁on ▁the ▁outcome ▁of ▁the ▁suit , ▁bank ing ▁on ▁a ▁substantial ▁settlement ▁to ▁fin ance ▁the ▁move ▁to ▁the ▁fall . ▁ ▁It ▁considered ▁the ▁television - related ▁claims ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁heart ▁of ▁its ▁case . ▁On ▁August ▁ 4 — four ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁announ cement ▁of ▁the ▁ver dict — the ▁US FL ▁own ers ▁voted ▁to ▁susp end ▁operations ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁season , ▁with ▁the ▁intent ▁of ▁returning ▁in ▁ 1 9 8