CARMEN POLICY TESTIFIES: COMMISSIONER WANTED TEAM IN LOS ANGELES

(March 21, 2001) - Cleveland Browns President Carmen Policy took the stand late Wednesday afternoon and testified that Commissioner Paul Tagliabue strongly supported having the Raiders remain in Los Angeles in 1995. Policy, who was a member of the four-person committee appointed by Tagliabue to assist Hollywood Park and the Raiders in developing the terms of a second-team option at the proposed stadium, will resume his testimony Thursday morning during the Raiders vs. NFL trial in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Other points made by Policy during Wednesday’s questioning by a Raiders attorney are as follows:

Al Davis agreed not to personally attend a June 1, 1995 meeting in Denver with Hollywood Park and the four-person NFL committee so that the committee could better negotiate with the racetrack officials on certain aspects of the deal. In addition, Policy testified that Bob Speck, a long-time business associate of Al Davis, represented Raiders interests at that meeting. [The Raiders have asserted that they were not represented at this June 1 meeting.]

Policy said there would have been internal "political problems" in approving the Hollywood Park lease if the Raiders were able to "reach in and grab" revenues from a possible second team at the proposed stadium.

Earlier Wednesday afternoon, Commissioner Tagliabue concluded six days of testimony. NFL attorney Allen Ruby closed by asking Tagliabue the following questions regarding key issues in this trial:

Ruby: "The Raiders contend that the NFL and 15 member clubs forced them to Oakland. Is that true or false?"

Tagliabue: "False."

Ruby: "The Raiders contend that there were contractual obligations to pay money to the Raiders for their move. Is that true or false?"

Tagliabue: "False."

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.