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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!sun!qubix!steven
From: steven@qubix.UUCP (Steven Maurer)
Newsgroups: net.sport.football,net.legal
Subject: Re: Condemnation of a Football Team
Message-ID: <1218@qubix.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 26-Jun-84 22:24:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: qubix.1218
Posted: Tue Jun 26 22:24:48 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 30-Jun-84 02:27:46 EDT
References: <443@hplabs.UUCP>, <2242@mit-eddie.UUCP>
Organization: Qubix Graphic Systems, Saratoga, CA
Lines: 36

>>  Well, as it has to happen, I read this newsgroup right after net.jokes,
>>  and when I saw this article, I thought I was still in net.jokes.  I
>>  don't see how the Raiders can be forced to move back to Oakland.
>>  Do football teams have contracts with cities?

==================

    I see that someone got part of the story, but not all of it.

    1]  As a precondition for originally coming to Oakland, the
	Raiders demanded that a new, large, stadium be built (by
	the city using public funds).  The Raiders were given an
	amazingly low "rent" for using the stadium, which did almost
	nothing to ease the payments the city was making.

    2]  Al Attles, the Controling Partner of the raiders decided to
	move the team, because of a contract dispute over "rent" for
	the stadium.  This move was opposed by the city and by almost
	every other team in the NFL.   They said that if he moved,
	they would refuse to play his team.  So he sued (in LA, of
	course) and won.

    3]  Oakland has sued to condemn the team, basing its decision
	on the fact that the Raiders are (due to their long association
	with the city) in fact a municipal "landmark".  They intend
	to BUY OUT the Raiders, and bring them back to Oakland.

    To all you Libertarians out there, you might appreciate the irony
    of the situation.   Al Attles, when he found out that the other
    teams were going to boycott his new stadium, went crying to the
    court about "unfair" business practices.  But when the city
    turns around and tries a forcable buy out, he suddenly is all
    for free enterprise.  The whole thing makes me want to puke.

    Steven Maurer