▁from ▁att orney ▁Jay ▁Mo yer ▁stating ▁that ▁an ▁" open ▁network " ▁might ▁be ▁open ▁to ▁the ▁" inv itation ▁to ▁formation ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁league ." ▁ ▁A ▁mem o ▁from ▁August ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁from ▁NFL ▁management ▁council ▁executive ▁director ▁Jack ▁Don lan ▁to ▁his ▁staff . ▁The ▁mem o ▁laid ▁out ▁plans ▁for ▁NFL ▁teams ▁to ▁" in cre ase ▁sal ary ▁offers ▁to ▁US FL ▁to ▁existing ▁players ▁or ▁run ▁the ▁risk ▁of ▁losing ▁them ." ▁ ▁A ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁presentation ▁to ▁NFL ▁execut ives ▁by ▁Harvard ▁Business ▁School ▁professor ▁Michael ▁Por ter , ▁which ▁included ▁a ▁plan ▁on ▁" how ▁to ▁conquer " ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Football ▁League . ▁ ▁All ▁but ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁league ' s ▁ 2 8 ▁teams ▁was ▁named ▁as ▁a ▁co - def endant . ▁ ▁Al ▁Davis , ▁owner ▁of ▁the ▁then - Los ▁Angeles ▁Ra iders , ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁witness ▁for ▁the ▁US FL ▁and ▁had ▁been ▁ex cluded ▁from ▁the ▁law suit ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁his ▁testim ony . ▁ABC ▁Sports ' ▁Howard ▁Cos ell ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁key ▁witness ▁for ▁the ▁US FL . ▁ ▁The ▁case ▁went ▁to ▁trial ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁and ▁last ed ▁ 4 2 ▁days . ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 9 , ▁a ▁six - person ▁j ury ▁handed ▁down ▁a ▁ver dict ▁that ▁dev ast ated ▁the ▁US FL , ▁even ▁though ▁it ▁techn ically ▁won ▁its ▁case .