Bucs VPs Joel and Bryan Glazer granted interviews with media
outlets in the Tampa Bay area yesterday, speaking for the first
time since January and giving officials a March 1 "drop-dead"
deadline for a deal to keep the team. The ST. PETE TIMES'
Testerman & Stroud report the comments "provoked an angry
reaction" from local officials. The Glazers must return nearly
$20M in pledges for Charter Seat Deposits to fans if a lease is
not signed by March 1. Both Glazers, sons of Owner Malcolm
Glazer, say if no deal is reached by the deadline, they will
continue talks with suburban Orlando's Osceola County, which is
considering a stadium. The Bucs would then hope to "retain some
of their loyal fans in Tampa Bay, attract others from the Orlando
area and capitalize on the Disney tourist industry." Joel Glazer
called Osceola "a backup" (ST. PETE TIMES, 2/22). The Glazers
stressed they will not commit to a deal involving approval by the
FL legislature, and said they were told by Hillsborough County
officials last year that state funds would not be needed (Joe
Henderson, TAMPA TRIBUNE, 2/22). On WNZE-AM, the Glazers said
they had been promised "plenty of support" for a new stadium from
County officials when they purchased the team for $192M (ST. PETE
TIMES, 2/22).
NEW DIGS IN '96? The Bucs have five years remaining on the
team's Tampa Stadium lease. The Tampa Stadium Authority "this
week reluctantly agreed to assemble a legal team" to fight a
potential move by the Bucs (ST. PETE TIMES, 2/22). The Glazers
said they would not commit to playing the '96 season at Tampa
Stadium, regardless of threats of a lawsuit (Joe Henderson, TAMPA
TRIBUNE, 2/22).
