Sport: Farewell to Feudalism

O.J. Simpson, Franco Harris and Larry Csonka, attracted by the glamour of Hollywood, will all play for the Los Angeles Rams. Joe Greene and his colleagues along the Pittsburgh Steelers'defensive line, plus the front four of the Minnesota Vikings, will follow the sun to Miami to sign with the Dolphins. Dozens of other stars will auction off their services every year to the highest bidder, and some cold-weather cities such as Green Bay and Buffalo won't be able to buy enough players to field a team.

That, say pro football owners, is the kind of chaos that will strike their sport if...