49ers co-Owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. was formally
suspended for the '99 season and fined $1M by the NFL for
his involvement in a LA gambling scandal, according to Ira
Miller of the S.F. CHRONICLE. NFL Commissioner Paul
Tagliabue said DeBartolo is not eligible to return to the
NFL until next February and, even then, he would be on
probation, with "conditions attached that would apply to him
'as long as he is an owner.'" DeBartolo "agreed to the
sanctions in a private, signed agreement that was not even
distributed to other club owners in the league." As per the
deal, DeBartolo is "strictly barred from any involvement in
49ers management activities," prohibited from any type of
gambling activity and he may not sit in the owners' box or
visit the locker room or press box while attending 49ers
games. Any violation would result in a $4M fine (S.F.
CHRONICLE, 3/17). Team VP/Denise DeBartolo York's husband,
John York, said the team may scale back its stadium/mall
complex, as the shopping mall element is in doubt unless
they come up with a deal "we can afford as a corporation and
as an owner of the 49ers." York added that the team isn't
for sale, but said, "What isn't for sale if the right buyer
and the right price ... come along? There are numbers out
there you can't turn down" (S.F. EXAMINER, 3/16).
