Steelers For Sale? Team Worth Up To $1.2 Billion

Wanna buy a football team?

Could the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the longtime cornerstone franchises of the National Football League, be up for sale?
The WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that the NFL team has been “quietly” shopped around to potential purchasers, as the current owners decide on their future affiliations with the franchise.

The Steelers are run by the Rooney family - five sons of team founder Art Rooney Sr. control 80% of the team, while their cousins the McGinley family own the remaining 20%. But team chairman Dan Rooney is looking to buy out the rest of his clan, and his siblings & relatives are looking to get out of the football business and concentrate more on running their casinos & racetracks & whatnot.

www.sportsbybrooks.com...

I don't see it happening while Dan Rooney is still alive. There would also be quite an outcry from the people of Pittsburgh. I'm from there originally and have seen some great fans in my travels but, nothing quite like Steeler fans.

I'm not trying to sound dramatic here but, it's a very real part of who we are and we don't like changes like that.

It's hard to describe to someone who hasn't lived it. Tradition is still very much alive in the steel city.

Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney stated, “I have spent my entire life devoted to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football League. I will do everything possible to work out a solution to ensure my father’s legacy of keeping the Steelers in the Rooney family and in Pittsburgh for at least another 75 years.”



Steelers President Art Rooney II stated, “There is no reason to believe that the current internal discussions will have any impact on our fans or on our team this season or in the seasons to come.”

Source


I don't see a full sale... maybe a partial ownership.

Originally posted by beezwaxes

I don't see it happening while Dan Rooney is still alive. There would also be quite an outcry from the people of Pittsburgh. I'm from there originally and have seen some great fans in my travels but, nothing quite like Steeler fans.

I'm not trying to sound dramatic here but, it's a very real part of who we are and we don't like changes like that.

It's hard to describe to someone who hasn't lived it. Tradition is still very much alive in the steel city.

I know exactly what you mean. I was born and raised near Pittsburgh, and was a die-hard fan for years.

Luckily, the most serious would-be buyer is from Pittsburgh. I can see no advantage at all for moving the team out of Pittsburgh.

Moving the team out of Pittsburgh would be almost biblical in scope to me. There will not be one stone upon another and all of that I'd like to say it could never happen but, who knows these days? I'd have to burn my terrible towels and bury the ashes lol.

As far as the Rooney's and casinos, I heard last time I was home that casinos are going in the north side by the stadium. The name I heard connected with it the most was Bettis and his buddies from Detroit. The Rooney's have been, shall we say, very influential that area for a long time so, I'm sure they're a big part of it.

It would seem the NFL doesn't like team owners being involved with gambling and that's what brought all of this about.

www.post-gazette.com...

reply to post by beezwaxes


Yeah, that plus the Steelers are technically in default over the ownership rules. NFL says primary owner should own at least 30%, but they each own 16%, or so I understand.

I can remember going to Steelers games with my dad in the 50's. We sat in high-school style bleachers!

You must have seen them at Forbes field in Oakland. I seen one game there when I was a little kid against the Cardinals. We lost but, good times.

The Pirates and Pitt university played at 'the house of thrills' too. Home plate is still in the lobby of, I think the law building at Pitt.

It sure has changed, I went to a game at Heinz field last year. You get frisked before going in and there's a rock band playing downstairs to get people wound up. If you get the chance, check out a game there. Great views of one of the most beautiful cities going. They really have done a great job sprucing the place up.