The Glazer family is "working to make the Bucs Central
Florida's team" by spending more than $1M to extend its
national promotional and sales activities to include
surrounding counties, especially Orlando, according to
Charean Williams of the ORLANDO SENTINEL. Research
conducted two years ago found that of a random Orlando focus
group, 25% had been to a Bucs game. Orlando is "a candidate"
for a team in the proposed NBC/Turner league, but team VP
Joel Glazer said that any potential competition "has nothing
to do with the Bucs' bid to win over" Orlando. Glazer:
"Orlando is one hour away. It's one of the top 25 (TV)
markets in the country. ... It's our market." The team is
hiring a full-time communications manager and a community
relations manager "to increase team involvement with Orlando
media, schools and civic agencies" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 7/19).
SUITE THINGS: The Bucs are building 164 luxury suites
at Raymond James Stadium -- more than double the 75 they
planned to build several months ago. The team will pay
extra contractors to finish the suites, since the original
schedule didn't account for so many (ST. PETE TIMES, 7/20).
...More than 20,000 fans attended the team's "Kickoff '98,"
Saturday's rally at Houlihan's Stadium. The team has staged
a preseason rally annually since '90, but "never before had
so many showed up" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 7/19).
