MLB owners unanimously approved the purchase of the Pirates
by a group led by Kevin McClatchy yesterday. McClatchy said he
and the group are "dedicated to the city of Pittsburgh and to
turning the Pirates into an exemplary National League franchise"
(MLB). The approval of the $90M bid ended the team's 18 months
on the "auction block" and McClatchy's 8-month pursuit of the
team. At 33, he becomes MLB's youngest owner. Pittsburgh Mayor
Tom Murphy: "We kept our team, and we did it in a way that makes
sense." The city will provide lease enhancements worth close to
$7M/year, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority will loan
McClatchy up to $11.5M over the next five years. McClatchy said
he "expects to be in a new stadium within five years" (Eric Heyl,
Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 2/14).
PUSH THE PRODUCT: The team's marketing and advertising
budget will be doubled, and McClatchy projects team attendance of
1.4 million, up from 900,000 last year. He also spoke on adding
amenities at Three Rivers Stadium immediately, including an
expanded menu and barbecue area.
McClatchy also plans to "vigorously sell the team" to the Western
PA business community, as he will meet with officials from the
region's top 30 corporations and small business organizations
(TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 2/14).
