7 ; ▁the ▁league ▁accur ately ▁for es aw ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁players ' ▁strike ▁and ▁had ▁hoped ▁the ▁strike ▁would ▁give ▁the ▁league ▁access ▁to ▁star ▁players . ▁Play ers ▁signed ▁to ▁contract s ▁were ▁free ▁to ▁sign ▁with ▁NFL ▁( or ▁other ▁professional ▁teams ) ▁immediately . ▁Indeed , ▁the ▁NFL ▁had ▁held ▁a ▁draft ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁for ▁teams ▁to ▁ac quire ▁the ▁rights ▁to ▁US FL ▁players , ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁of ▁the ▁league ▁( or ▁teams ▁in ▁the ▁league ) ▁fol ding . ▁However , ▁it ▁is ▁unlikely ▁the ▁US FL ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁able ▁to ▁put ▁together ▁a ▁vi able ▁product ▁in ▁any ▁case . ▁Many ▁of ▁its ▁players ▁had ▁signed ▁contract s ▁with ▁NFL ▁teams ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁season , ▁and ▁the ▁league ▁was ▁some ▁$ 1 6 0 ▁million ▁in ▁deb t . ▁ ▁Five ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁ver dict , ▁the ▁T ampa ▁Bay ▁Band its ▁were ▁effectively ▁shut ▁down ▁when ▁a ▁judge ▁sla pped ▁a ▁li en ▁on ▁the ▁franch ise ▁to ▁satisfy ▁back ▁pay ▁ow ed ▁to ▁former ▁player ▁Bret ▁Clark . ▁ ▁All ▁of ▁the ▁team ' s ▁remaining ▁assets ▁were ▁seized ▁to ▁satisfy ▁the ▁deb t . The ▁Miami ▁News ▁via ▁Google ▁News ▁Archive ▁Search ▁In ▁a ▁des per ation ▁move , ▁the ▁Arizona ▁Out la ws ▁arranged ▁a ▁meeting ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁with ▁officials ▁with ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Football ▁League ▁hoping ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁a ▁mer