THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 17, 1995 TAG: 9511170353
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
When he stepped on a plane Thursday morning in Minneapolis, there was a surprise awaiting Pirates president Lonie Glieberman. On board was Jim Speros, owner of the Baltimore Stallions, the man who earlier this week tried to block the Pirates move from Shreveport, La., to Hampton Roads.
The two men shook hands, exchanged greetings, then discussed a controversy that raged Tuesday after Glieberman announced his Canadian Football League team was moving to Norfolk.
Speros immediately tried to stop the Pirates, claiming he had territorial rights to Norfolk. Late Tuesday night, CFL commissioner Larry Smith ended the controversy when he ruled Speros has no such rights.
Glieberman said their meeting, as both men flew to Regina, Saskatchewan for the Grey Cup, the CFL championship game, was amicable.
Speros, contacted prior to the chance meeting with Glieberman, reiterated Thursday his interest in moving his Stallions to Richmond.
``I'm very serious about that market,'' said Speros, whose Stallions meet Calgary Sunday in the Grey Cup and likely will be forced to relocate because of the impending move of the NFL's Cleveland Browns to Baltimore.
``If I have to leave Baltimore, I want to look at other markets in Virginia, including Northern Virginia. I will be in Richmond next week.''
Speros, a childhood friend of Governor George Allen and a Northern Virginia resident, said he's reluctant to move from Virginia.
He said the Stallions would play at the 22,500-seat University of Richmond Stadium temporarily in hopes that Richmond would eventually build him a larger stadium.
Glieberman said he encouraged Speros to consider Richmond.
``I wouldn't want them involved in our market in Hampton Roads, but I think Richmond is far enough away that it wouldn't be a problem,'' Glieberman said. ``I told him I thought it would be great, that we'd have a great rivalry. If he leaves Baltimore, I hope he goes to Richmond.'' by CNB