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based on income levels, population within 100 miles, and the fact
that Cincinnati is an area of proven football interest.
Paul Brown met John Sawyer (Sawyer) through a mutual friend,
Dr. William Hackett (Hackett). Sawyer owned Orleton Farms in
London, Ohio. Sawyer decided to invest in a professional
football team in Cincinnati with Brown. Sawyer highly valued
Brown's experience and prior NFL success.
2. Ohio Valley Sports (OVS)
Mike Brown, Hackett, and Sawyer formed Ohio Valley Sports,
Inc. (OVS), an Ohio corporation, on December 12, 1965, to
acquire, develop, and operate a professional football team.
In 1966, Commissioner Pete Rozelle (Rozelle) and members of
the AFL's expansion committee visited Cincinnati to meet with
Paul Brown. At Rozelle's urging, they recommended that the AFL
award a franchise in Cincinnati to OVS.
On May 24, 1967, the AFL awarded a new franchise to OVS.
The team was to be called the Cincinnati Bengals (Bengals). Paul
Brown's contacts and participation were critical to the effort to
obtain the franchise.
On September 26, 1967, OVS was recapitalized. Paul Brown,
Sawyer, and nine other investors contributed $2 million in
exchange for 1,000 shares of OVS stock with a per share price of
$2,000. These shares were held as follows:
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