While being questioned by Raiders attorney Joseph Alioto, Jr., on Wednesday, the Commissioner testified that the league had worked diligently in 1995 on an agreement that would have had the Raiders stay in the Los Angeles area and play in a new stadium in Hollywood Park.

Commissioner Tagliabue also testified that Raiders owner Al Davis told him in a phone conversation on June 9, 1995 that the Raiders had agreed to play at the new Hollywood Park stadium.

Davis told the Commissioner in the phone conversation that the Raiders planned to make the announcement the next day during a press conference.

The Raiders subsequently decided against participating in the press conference and later that month announced that they were going to return to Oakland where they had played from 1960-81.

Tagliabue has been on the stand since late Tuesday afternoon, when he was called as the first witness.

The Raiders claim that the NFL in 1995 interfered with the team's opportunity to build a stadium at Hollywood Park, right outside Los Angeles. The Raiders also assert that they own the Los Angeles market and the NFL may not place a team there without paying the Raiders for doing so.

The NFL, however, says that the other NFL clubs worked hard to help — not hinder — the Raiders with their stadium proposal at Hollywood Park. The NFL also says that under NFL rules the right to place a team in Los Angeles, or any other city, is a collective right of all member clubs, not just the Raiders.

Under California law, a verdict requires a minimum three-quarters vote of the jury, which is comprised of eight men and four women. The trial is expected to last 4-6 weeks.