Possible new owner?

[LasVegasGuy]

Anytime ownership switches hands...it should concern fans. You don't think he would consider moving the team to a bigger market? I do. The Rooneys are a known commodity...this guy is not. This should be concerning to all of us.

There are only about three markets without an NFL franchise that are bigger than
Pittsburgh's market.

1) Los Angeles - We all know how well football works in L.A.
2) Orlando - Whose territory is this anyway? Dolphins? Jaguars? Bucs?
3) Sacramento - Seems like that would be 9r's country.

With that said, I couldn't fathom anybody moving the Steelers out of Pittsburgh,
but, there's always the possibility with new ownership. The sky is not falling, but
nevertheless, I don't like change.

2) Orlando - Whose territory is this anyway? Dolphins? Jaguars? Bucs?

The NFL has tried to make Orlando Jaguar country and has failed mserably. Jacksonville isn't even really Jag country. The most predominant NFL colors in the Orlando area are Black and Gold. You see more fans wearing Steelers gear or Steelers logos on cars than any other team.

Problems with the three cities you mention:

1. LA is a college football town. The NFL will always be #2 to USC. The Raiders found that out.
2. Orlando futher splits Florida when support for the Jags and Bucs is already lukewarm. The Jags are clearly the most likely NFL team to move in the future. Fan support is about 6" deep. There were more Steelers fans at their stadium last time the Steelers played there than Jags fans.
3. Sacremento would be stepping on both 49ers and Raiders. No way that happens.

Las Vegas? No way. The whole reason we are having this discussion is because of the NFL's needless parnoia over gambling whether sports based or not.

Vegas would be cool for me but will never happen. I don't see a professional sports team of any kind surviving in this city.

[Shawn]

Who gets custody of Steely?

Hopefully Mr. and Mrs. dumpster get custody.

And, for whatever reason, I never really trusted any of the Rooneys outside of Dan and Art Sr. When I stood out in line for 2 days for tickets to the 94 AFC playoffs, it was Dan who came around and shook hands with all the fans. I trust Dan Rooney, I trusted Art Sr. I don't trust the rest of them, and I feel uneasy that anyone outside of Dan runs the team. Maybe whatever happens will turn out for the best with Mr. Druckenmiller, But I just feel uneasy about it. The SAteelers stand for many things other than just super bowl trophies. I don't want this to turn into a Daniel Snyder situation.

Yeah, but Dan is 75 years old (76 July 20). How much longer can he run the team? So its either one of the other Rooneys or a billionaire that is a rabid Steelers fan who has stated he will not move the team?

Just a question...do you think the Rooneys would sell the Steelers to someone who said he would move the team? I personally doubt it. He might very well be a fan but when hundreds of millions are involved...I trust very few people...especially a new owner. If he intended to move the team...he would be saying the same thing.

As stated above with the Sonics situation, if it were a billionaire owner with no ties to the Burgh, not a fan of the team and from one of the markets that wants a team, yes I would worry. I dont see that with this situation.

Question: You are from the Burgh, a rabid fan that comes back for home games, has ties in the community and you happen to be a billionaire and you want to buy the Steelers.

Would you move them?

I guess it would depend on how greedy I am. All I know is this...change of ownership scares me. I'm glad the rest of you will sleep well.

[BigBen2112]

One thing to keep in mind about the Steelers leaving Pittsburgh is that it'll never happen...and here's why:

As the league operates somewhat collectively in terms of merchandising, the financial fallout of a Steelers team that isn't in Pittsburgh would potentially destroy the "Steelers brand" to the point that the rest of the merchandising revenue for the league would suffer. The other NFL owners, who have a huge stake in how their teams are merchandised and marketed, would never allow that to happen. It would be a direct assault on their profitability.

Consider, for example, how much the Cleveland Cavaliers would be devalued if LeBron James was not a part of that franchise. Prior to the Cavaliers winning the draft lottery that allowed them to draft LeBron, the team's future in Cleveland hung in the balance. I would submit to you all that if it wasn't for LeBron James, there might not be a Cleveland Cavaliers today.

Much like LeBron means the world to the Cavaliers, the Steelers being in Pittsburgh means the world to the NFL. The Steelers value to the league will never be higher anywhere else but Pittsburgh and, I'd submit to you all, that the team would be worth less anywhere else but Pittsburgh. The league and its confederation of owners ignore that reality at the expense of future profits to themselves or the league in general.

The Steelers are a cash cow for the league and Stan Druckenmiller's involvement will heighten that ability for the Steelers and the league. The league plays with any potential future move of the Steelers at the risk of their own future profit margin.

Might not be the best idea to compare LeBron when he might be leaving in a couple years for NY/NJ.

[SteelHoss]

I'm not worried about the team leaving Pittsburgh. There are too many financial and legal ties to keep them here for many years. Druckenmiller sounds like a solid guy and true B & G Steeler fan. He is willing to keep the team in Pittsburgh as well as allowing the Rooneys to continue as the managing partners. However, a concern that might be worth discussing would be the mortality of Dan and his heir apparent Art II and Druckenmiller himself. My concerns give rise to this question:
Would their heirs keep alive the Steeler tradition or would the Steelers become a franchise allowed to survive only to be sucked dry by greedy and inept owners as in the case of the pathetic Pittsburgh Pirates? That question scares the H### out of me.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I'm not worried about the team leaving Pittsburgh. There are too many financial and legal ties to keep them here for many years. Druckenmiller sounds like a solid guy and true B & G Steeler fan. He is willing to keep the team in Pittsburgh as well as allowing the Rooneys to continue as the managing partners. However, a concern that might be worth discussing would be the mortality of Dan and his heir apparent Art II and Druckenmiller himself. My concerns give rise to this question:
Would their heirs keep alive the Steeler tradition or would the Steelers become a franchise allowed to survive only to be sucked dry by greedy and inept owners as in the case of the pathetic Pittsburgh Pirates? That question scares the H### out of me.

The economics of baseball and the economics of football are two completely different animals. That has a lot to do with why most of us are mourning a summer without football, while acknowledging that baseball sucks out loud.

[Ozey74]

Anytime ownership switches hands...it should concern fans. You don't think he would consider moving the team to a bigger market? I do. The Rooneys are a known commodity...this guy is not. This should be concerning to all of us.

There are only about three markets without an NFL franchise that are bigger than
Pittsburgh's market.

1) Los Angeles - We all know how well football works in L.A.
2) Orlando - Whose territory is this anyway? Dolphins? Jaguars? Bucs?
3) Sacramento - Seems like that would be 9r's country.

With that said, I couldn't fathom anybody moving the Steelers out of Pittsburgh,
but, there's always the possibility with new ownership. The sky is not falling, but
nevertheless, I don't like change.

Drunkenmiller's Old Lady is from the Burg'. I bet he wouldn't want to piss off the in-laws by moving them.....

[Les 74]

Is this article for real????And where is it from???The Trib...........never heard of it!!!

[Shawn]

Is this article for real????And where is it from???The Trib...........never heard of it!!!

Excellent!

[BigBen2112]

Is this article for real????And where is it from???The Trib...........never heard of it!!!

Excellent!

What's it called?

[Shawn]

Is this article for real????And where is it from???The Trib...........never heard of it!!!

Excellent!

What's it called?

What are you talking about???