Oilers Owner Bud Adams has asked for more time before
signing a detailed agreement to move his team to Nashville,
according to the FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM. This request postpones
a scheduled meeting today between Adams and Nashville Mayor Phil
Bredesen at which Adams was to sign the agreement. According to
Bredesen spokesperson Tam Gordon, the postponement does not
signal problems for the deal, and the meeting will take place
later this week. She said Adams nearly asked for time to
"digest" the deal (Clarence Hill, FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM,
11/13). Under the reported deal, Houston would have three months
to "mount a counterdrive." Adams also said yesterday the
document to be signed this week is nonbinding, meaning the Oilers
can opt out any time before early March, before the TN
Legislature and the Nashville Metro Council approve their shares
of the $292M stadium package. Adams, who would be new to
stadium, reportedly wanted more time to review other NFL stadium
deals (John Williams, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/13).
REPERCUSSIONS: While sponsors such as Continental,
Anheuser-Busch, and Revco have pulled advertising from the
Browns, the Oilers have not seen a similar response. David
Messing, spokesperson for Continental, which is keeping its
Oilers ads, noted the "very strong community reaction" in
Cleveland (Charles Boisseau, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/11).
OTHER COVERAGE: Under "Another Jolt to the NFL," Jody
Goldstein examines the Oilers potential move in light of the
NFL's current state (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/13). "CBS This
Morning" broadcasted from Houston, with a report on the history
of the Asrodome, and interviews of local radio personality Dan
Patrick and Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack. Radack
predicted both the Oilers and Astros will stay. Radak, on Adams:
"Once the people in Nashville get to know Bud, they won't want
Bud in town" (CBS, 11/13).
