s ▁TV ▁re venue ▁met ▁the ▁requirements ▁of ▁the ▁D ixon ▁plan . ▁ ▁The ▁Plan ▁called ▁for ▁first ▁year ▁attend ance ▁over ▁ 1 8 , 0 0 0 ▁per ▁game . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁ 1 0 ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 2 ▁teams ▁exceed ed ▁that ▁threshold . ▁ ▁Player ▁sp ending ▁was ▁where ▁the ▁league ▁devi ated ▁from ▁the ▁plan , ▁in ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁purs uing ▁stars . ▁ ▁The ▁league ' s ▁biggest ▁spl ash — the ▁signing ▁of ▁H ersch el ▁Walker , ▁a ▁three ▁time ▁All - American ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁He is man ▁Tro phy ▁winner — re present ed ▁a ▁significant ▁bre ach ▁from ▁the ▁D ixon ▁Plan . ▁Like ▁the ▁NFL , ▁the ▁US FL ▁bar red ▁under class men ▁from ▁signing . ▁However , ▁league ▁officials ▁were ▁certain ▁that ▁this ▁rule ▁would ▁never ▁stand ▁up ▁in ▁court , ▁so ▁they ▁allowed ▁Walker ▁to ▁sign ▁with ▁the ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Gener als . ▁More ▁important ly , ▁Walker ▁signed ▁a ▁three - year ▁contract ▁val ued ▁at ▁$ 4 . 2 ▁million ▁with ▁a ▁$ 1 ▁million ▁signing ▁bonus . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁US FL ' s ▁sal ary ▁cap ▁rules , ▁this ▁was ▁a ▁personal - services ▁contract ▁with ▁Gener als ▁owner ▁J . ▁Walter ▁Dun can , ▁and ▁not ▁a ▁standard ▁player ▁contract . ▁Non eth eless , ▁the ▁other ▁own ers ▁did ▁not ▁raise ▁any ▁ob jections , ▁knowing ▁that ▁having ▁the