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Los Angeles Times, December 13, 1974

Campaign Under Way to Sell Storm Tickets

PORTLAND (AP) -" A Portland group has launched a campaign to sell $1 million in tickets for a 1975 World Football League team.

The campaign through January 15 is meant in part to convince potential investors to take over the Portland franchise which ended its first season in financial trouble.

Bob Hazen, Portland financier who heads the group, said efforts also are continuing to find investors to take over the franchise. He said it is not clear what arrangements will be made to pay the team's debts.

Quarterback Greg Barton, representing Portland Storm players, said at the news conference that franchise purchasers may have to pay $1.5 million in debts and out up another $2 million to run the team next season.

Barton said potential investors have been contacted and "we feel there are people in Portland who can do this thing."

He said none of the ticket money will be used to pay the team's debt.

"The advice of our counsel is that if we pick up bad debts, or even one bad debt from the past, we may be subject to the whole debt," he said.

"We don't know that the league answer to that is going to be. It may say ‘you don't have a franchise unless you pay the debts of the past."