THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 11, 1996 TAG: 9601110473
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
The Pirates application to relocate from Shreveport, La., to Hampton Roads will not be approved today, Canadian Football League commissioner Larry Smith said Wednesday.
CFL officials had hoped they could approve the Pirates application during a conference call of league owners this afternoon. But Smith said he won't allow the issue to come up for a vote until the Pirates present a letter from Old Dominion University saying it intends to lease Foreman Field to the CFL team.
``We need a definite letter of intent for a lease,'' Smith said.
Pirates president Lonie Glieberman said ODU hasn't agreed to a lease yet and he won't ask the school for a letter until the two sides reach a verbal agreement.
The conference call comes amid signs the league's flagship American franchise in Baltimore is suffering financially, and with three of the other four U.S. teams floundering.
Owners were supposed to disclose today whether and where they'll play next season, but four franchises are in flux:
The Pirates have neither a lease nor city approval for $400,000 of improvements to the stadium.
Baltimore has not paid vendors $800,000 from last season and is being sued by the city for $140,000 for failure to pay for security and utility bills in 1994, the Baltimore Sun has reported. CFL sources say the Stallions are struggling financially in spite of winning the league title last season. Two sources place the Stallions unpaid debts at $1.5 million. The Stallions must move - Houston is the likely site - because the NFL's Cleveland Browns are moving to Baltimore.
The sale of the Birmingham Barracudas to an ownership group in Shreveport has hit a snag. Smith told the group to meet a number of demands by 11 a.m. today, the most important of which includes presenting a certified check of $100,000 for the league's relocation fee. ``They made progress today,'' Smith said Wednesday, ``but I can't say they're there yet.''
Good news comes from Los Angeles, where Smith confirmed that an ownership group is attempting to purchase a franchise, believed to be the Memphis Mad Dogs. Memphis folded after last season. Said Smith: ``We have a group working in Los Angeles. Will they do it in time? I don't know. They're working frantically, trying to set themselves up.''
San Antonio owner Fred Anderson, who has the only American team that doesn't plan to move next season, said he won't commit to play until he knows he has some American rivals.
Said Anderson: ``I told the commissioner I want to be the last one to speak on the conference call. Depending on what I hear, I'll either say, `Let's go,' or `Sayonara.' ''
Glieberman declined to reveal what the Pirates will say, but Smith confirmed the team has formally applied to relocate to Norfolk. Last week, the league said the Pirates had not filed the necessary relocation papers.
Smith said the CFL hopes to know before the month is out how many teams will play next season.
``We're trying to get it as close as we possibly can to knowing everybody who will play and who can't play. But I can't guarantee you all the answers tomorrow,'' he said.
``It will probably take a couple of days longer. . . . But we're not going to sit and wait another month. We have to know soon.''
Smith said he asked Pirates owner Bernie Glieberman, the new ownership group in Shreveport and the city of Shreveport to begin negotiations immediately to conclude the Pirates lease at Independence Stadium. Shreveport is seeking reimbursement for a $1 million sponsorship paid to the Pirates last season as well as nearly $400,000 for stadium improvements. The Pirates admit owing only $191,000. by CNB