▁in ▁this ▁environment ▁that ▁David ▁D ixon , ▁a ▁New ▁Orleans ▁anti ques ▁deal er , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁instrument al ▁in ▁bringing ▁the ▁New ▁Orleans ▁Sain ts ▁( and ▁building ▁their ▁current ▁home ▁stad ium , ▁the ▁Super d ome ) ▁to ▁his ▁h omet own . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁he ▁en vision ed ▁football ▁as ▁a ▁possible ▁spring ▁and ▁summer ▁sport . ▁ ▁Organ ization ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁ 1 5 ▁years , ▁D ixon ▁studied ▁the ▁last ▁two ▁challeng ers ▁to ▁the ▁NFL ' s ▁domin ance ▁of ▁pro ▁football — the ▁successful ▁American ▁Football ▁League ▁and ▁the ▁trouble d ▁World ▁Football ▁League . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁he ▁commission ed ▁a ▁study ▁by ▁Frank ▁Mag id ▁Associ ates ▁that ▁found ▁prom ising ▁results ▁for ▁a ▁spring ▁and ▁summer ▁football ▁league . ▁He ▁had ▁also ▁formed ▁a ▁blue print ▁for ▁the ▁pros pective ▁league ' s ▁operations , ▁which ▁included ▁early ▁television ▁expos ure , ▁heavy ▁promotion ▁in ▁home ▁mark ets , ▁and ▁own ers ▁with ▁the ▁resources ▁and ▁p atience ▁to ▁abs orb ▁years ▁of ▁losses — which ▁he ▁felt ▁would ▁be ▁in ev itable ▁until ▁the ▁league ▁found ▁its ▁feet . ▁He ▁also ▁assemble d ▁a ▁list ▁of ▁pros pective ▁franch ises ▁located ▁in ▁mark ets ▁attract ive ▁to ▁a ▁potential ▁television ▁partner . ▁ ▁D ixon ▁was ▁well ▁aware ▁that ▁many ▁attempts ▁to ▁challenge ▁the ▁NFL ▁had ▁found ered ▁due ▁to ▁financial ▁troubles . ▁The ▁W FL , ▁for