The Buccaneers "are for sale." Bucs GM Richard McKay said
"an announcement will be forthwith," and team officials confirmed
that the club will be put on the market immediately by the Board
of Trustees running the estate of the late Hugh Culverhouse (Rick
Stroud, ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 11/10). The club, heading towards
its 12th consecutive losing season and "saddled by a dwindling
fan base," has been valued at $142M and could be sold before the
end of '94. Local names who may be interested: Yankees Owner
George Steinbrenner, Outback Steakhouse CEO Chris Sullivan and a
group headed by Dixon Ticonderoga pencil magnate Gino Pala and
ESPN analyst Lee Corso. But the impending sale also gives hope
to many out-of-state buyers who would move the team, most notably
Orioles Owner Peter Angelos, who reportedly offered $200M in
February to move the Bucs to Baltimore, and investors in St.
Louis, who are courting the Rams (Nick Pugliese, TAMPA TRIBUNE,
11/10).
SUIT MAY IMPEDE SALE: Hugh Culverhouse, Jr. has filed suit
against Steve Story, "the point man for the three-man trust" set
up by Hugh Culverhouse in January of '93 to run the team after
his death. The suit claims that Culverhouse, Jr. was slandered
by a sign posted on Story's order, barring him and his sister
from entering the late Hugh Culverhouse's apartment. Since the
trust must act in the best interest of the family, the suit
"raises the possibilty of future suits against the trust,
especially if Story ordered the sign placed in the window while
acting as a member of the trust" (Nick Pugliese, TAMPA TRIBUNE,
11/10).
PLEASE STAY: In Tampa, Tom McEwen writes that new ownership
"would be good for Tampa Bay and long-suffering Bucs fans, so
long as the sale is made to vibrant owners who will keep the team
in Tampa, at a vastly improved Tampa Stadium." Calling St. Louis
the "biggest threat" to "ambush" the Bucs, McEwen writes the NFL
may do everything it can to prevent the Rams or Raiders from
leaving the L.A. market, "which is now home base to its latest
big-time beneficiary, FOX television." McEwen: "Some think the
NFL might sacrifice Tampa Bay ... to keep a Los Angeles team out
of St. Louis" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 11/10).
