THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512210001
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
As businessman Bernie Glieberman and his son, Lonie, prepare to bring their Pirates football team to Norfolk from Shreveport, the city attorney of that Louisiana city has this advice for public officials negotiating with the Gliebermans.
``I believe the Gliebermans are honest people,'' said Jerry N. Jones, ``but I believe they are very shrewd. You have to deal with them with your eyes open and listening very closely and making sure every detail is ironed out. To my knowledge, neither Glieberman has lied to the city. What we perceived them agreeing to do, and what they perceived themselves agreeing to do, turned out to be two different things. There's no such thing as `We all understand what we mean.' You need to tie it down very closely.''
Of prime interest to local officials is whether the Gliebermans' word is good. When they commit to pay debts by a certain date, do they? Here's an update on their debts.
(1) Jones said the Gliebermans first promised to pay about a dozen local vendors - shirt manufacturers, a radio station, concession providers and so on - by Nov. 15. The Canadian Football League team owes about $200,000 to the vendors, including $80,000 to Highland Hospital.
(2) Last month, Lonie Glieberman said, ``We sent a letter to everyone saying we'll pay you by Jan. 1.''
(3) In a letter to Jones dated Dec. 7, Mark E. Gilliam, an attorney representing the Pirates, wrote: ``Pirates will pay all local vendors in full on or before April 1, 1996.'' As you know, April 1 falls three months after Jan. 1.
(4) Last Friday the Shreveport City Council passed a resolution asking the Pirates to return $1 million. The city paid the Pirates that amount last season under a contract that called for the city to help subsidize the team if it lost money. The Pirates lost more than $3 million.
In the contract, Bernie Glieberman guaranteed he would personally refund $1 million if the team left the city before the end of its three-year commitment. It's leaving after two years. Dickering continues over how much the Pirates owe the city, but whatever the amount, it is due March 15.
(5) On Tuesday, when Bernie Glieberman learned The Virginian-Pilot had a copy of the team attorney's letter promising to pay by April 1, Glieberman told staff writer Harry Minium that checks would be mailed to vendors this week. Presumably that means the checks will be in the mail by Saturday and in the vendors' hands at least by the middle of next week.
Meanwhile, by all reports, neither Norfolk nor Old Dominion University, where the Pirates would play, is giving away the store to get the Pirates. That's good.
Too often the owner of a professional sports team is in a position to dictate to a community what it must do to attract or keep the team, but such is hardly the case here. Hampton Roads can live without the Pirates. The Pirates may not survive as a CFL team without Hampton Roads.
Across the nation, professional team owners are following the dollar wherever it leads, long-loyal fans and promises be damned. Before committing any public money to the Pirates, local officials should be certain of what they are getting in return - with all the ``t's'' crossed and all the ``i's'' dotted. Professional football is a business first, a sport second.
However, as we've said before, the Pirates present a chance for regional cooperation. If the team pays its bills and gains regional support, it will be a welcome and entertaining addition to Hampton Roads. If the Pirates don't pay their Shreveport bills this week, as promised, the welcome mat should be withdrawn, and it probably will be. by CNB