During a two-and-a-half 1/2 hour closed-door session between
team and NFL officials Saturday, the Bucs were told to "keep
their hands off" Cleveland and "continue efforts" to secure a new
stadium in Tampa, according to the TAMPA TRIBUNE. Sources who
sat in on the meeting that included Bucs Owner Malcolm Glazer,
NFL President Neil Austrian and NFL Senior VP/Operations Roger
Goodell said the response came after Glazer asked whether the
team "could explore the Cleveland option." Bucs GM Rich McKay
called the scenario a "silly rumor." The league has said it will
act as a mediator between the Bucs and Tampa Bay area officials
in an attempt to resolve the team's on-going stadium troubles
(Yasinskas & Pugliese, TAMPA TRIBUNE, 3/11). In Boston, Will
McDonough reports Glazer told Austrian he wanted to move the club
to Cleveland. According to a source who sat in on the meeting:
"We told him no, and he didn't like it. He didn't take it very
well. [The NFL] told him, 'We control the Cleveland situation.
We call the shots on who moves in. That's part of the deal, and
we are not going along with what he wants to do'" (BOSTON GLOBE,
3/10).
WHAT'S NEXT: NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue is scheduled
to present the league's owners with an update on the Bucs
situation when the owners meetings officially begin today.
According to one owner, the league does not want to "lose the
Tampa Bay market," but "would not be opposed" to the team moving
to Osceola County if a deal cannot be worked out in Tampa
(Yasinskas & Pugliese, TAMPA TRIBUNE, 3/11).
BACK AT HOME: FL state Sen. John Grant confirmed he filed a
bill late Friday that calls for a local referendum creating a 5%
rental car tax, which would be used to pay for the facility (Joe
Frisaro, TAMPA TRIBUNE, 3/10).
MIXED BAG: The Bucs "extended an olive branch" to its fans
by announcing a 10% discount for most season-ticket packages.
However, the price for individual game tickets has been raised
10% in the team's three main seating categories (Nick Pugliese,
TAMPA TRIBUNE, 3/9).
