Ottawa Situation - Very Nervous About the Gliebermans...

[b_raunchy]

I am scared by the new ownership group in Ottawa. Its too bad that the CFL has done such a great job in finding local ownership in Hamilton, Toronto, and Calgary in recent years but are now allowing these clowns back in the league. As if Feterik in Calgary did not already prove that foreign ownership is generally a bad thing, these guys have screwed up franchises TWICE!!! While we all know how they screwed up in Ottawa the first time read the below about their escapades in Shreveport and the dooming of Ottawa by stealing their players and the "Tucker" caper, from
http://www.oursportscentral.com/cflina ... shreve.php

Is anyone else nervous about this? I would hate to say the league lose Ottawa as I am looking very forward to a 10 team league in the future...last season not one game was attended by less than 20,000 fans in any city and this year should be even better with NHL starved fans...this could be a very bad black mark on the season and I certainly would not be optimistic about buying season tix if I lived in Ottawa right now....



Shreveport Pirates
Years in league: 1994-1995
Owner: Bernard Glieberman
Stadium: Independence Stadium (40,000)
Colors: Purple, Orange, Silver and Black
Overall Regular Season Record: 8-28
Overall Playoff Record: 0-0



Yearly Standings and Average Home Attendance
1994: 3-15 (17,871)
1995: 5-13 (14,359)


Bernard Glieberman, a Detroit real estate developer and his son Lonnie had owned the Ottawa Rough Riders and in 1994, were allowed to sell the team and then purchase the expansion franchise that ultimately wound up in Shreveport. They were allowed to take a handful of Ottawa players with them, including QB Terrence Jones.
However, the Pirates were another American CFL team that ultimately proved to be unsuccesful on the field. Their first victory didn't come until the 15th week of their initial season, and in 1995, all their victories were against Canadian teams.

Their first coach, John Huard got fired during the team's first training camp, due to conflicts with the athletic training staff and other problems. Training camp was no picnic for the players either, as they were housed on the second floor of the Lousiana State Fair's livestock barn. Huard was replaced by Forrest Gregg, who had coached previously both in the NFL and CFL. KR Freeman Baysinger and ertswhile NFL QB Billy Joe Tolliver were among the Pirates' players.

Noted tele-evangelist Jimmy Swaggart was among the Pirates' fans. He had season tickets for both seasons & would drive over from Baton Rouge to see them play.

After the 1995 season, the Gliebermans tried to move the team to Norfolk, Virginia but the deal fell through. Notable about the move to Virginia was "the Great Tucker Caper" when the City of Shreveport tried to seize Bernard Glieberman's 1948 Tucker for defaulting on debts related to the Pirates' lease at Independence Stadium. Glieberman's lawyer, Mark Gilliam, tried to escape with the car and hide the vintage auto, but he ran out of gas along the way. The police spotted him, and took the car back to the museum where it was being stored until the case could be settled. You can read more about this story at The Great Tucker Caper.
When last heard from, the Gliebermans & Gregg were working on putting together a new spring football league called the All-American Football League. However, there has been no news about it in the last few months.

1994 Shreveport Pirates Game Results and Attendances
1995 Shreveport Pirates Game Results and Attendances

[Rammer]

I say yes, becuase it is 51% Gliebermans or 0% chance of Ottawa remaining around.

[Lionut]

Well, as Cromartie put it rather succinctly a while back regarding this issue, beggars can't be choosers. Put another way, it was last call at the bar, and Miss America wasn't walking through the front door anytime soon.

In terms of finding new ownership and a desperately needed infusion of capital into the Renegades, the Gliebermans were the only option short of having the League take over the team for the season. The other eight owners found this to be a rather unappetizing thought, so the Gliebermans it was.

Both Tom Wright and the Mayor of Ottawa, Bob Chiarelli, beat the bushes for the last number of months looking for an alternate bid, and came up empty. Both Eugene Melnyk, owner of the Senators, and Jeff Hunt, owner of the Junior A Ottawa 67s, took a pass, as did every other high roller in Ottawa. (This should sound awfully familiar to Lions fans, who also got to watch all the big money in Vancouver take a pass on the Lions when they were on the block in '96.) There were a couple of other tire kickers, but at the end of the day the Gliebermans were the only ones with the deep pockets and desire to take this on.

I'm willing to be open minded about them. They claim to have learned from past mistakes, and are committed to putting a winning team on the field. (Unlike most of Ottawa's previous owners, at least the Gliebermans paid their bills.) It's also worth noting that it wasn't them who killed the Rough Riders, but rather Bruce Firestone and finally Horn Chen.

No, they weren't my first choice either, but given the alternatives (a ward of the League, no football in Ottawa) the Gliebermans are, in the words of Chris Rock, looking like Beyonce right about now.

[Rammer]

Lionut, what gives with you and teams in trouble...

[TheLionKing]

I'm not thrilled about having them back also but what is the alternative ? The question I have is what is it about the CFL that attracts the Gliebermans?

[Ballistic Bob]

the CFL that attracts the Gliebermans

Must be the cheerleaders. BB

[Rammer]

I'm not thrilled about having them back also but what is the alternative ? The question I have is what is it about the CFL that attracts the Gliebermans?

Can't be the money that they are going to lose this season in addition to the $2M they invested. A conservative number was pegged at $3 - 4M.

[TheLionKing]

the CFL that attracts the Gliebermans

Must be the cheerleaders. BB

And I thought it was the hotdogs and Canadian beer.

[squishy35]

the CFL that attracts the Gliebermans

Must be the cheerleaders. BB

And I thought it was the hotdogs and Canadian beer.

Naw, its the cheap prescription drugs

[b_raunchy]

All good points, and you are probably right - there was no other option!
That said, I would hate to see a Skalbania repeat in Ottawa...but such an outcome would not surprise me.

[LFITQ]

Well perhaps the 3rd time is the charm??

Maybe they have learned something from the past 2 times (and can we really blame the Shreveport fiasco on JUST the Gliebermans??) and this time will get all their ducks lined up.

Ok maybe I am just trying desperately to find the silver lining .... Yes that's right ... me ... Mr. Positive!!!

[Blue In BC]

I'm not thrilled about having them back also but what is the alternative ? The question I have is what is it about the CFL that attracts the Gliebermans?

Can't be the money that they are going to lose this season in addition to the $2M they invested. A conservative number was pegged at $3 - 4M.

I'd still like to hear somone explain how any team can lose $4M in a season when the cap is supposed to be $2.7M. Even with travel expenses, coaching and admin costs, this is difficult to fathom.

Where does all the gate money and TV money go? Into owners socks!!

It's creative accounting if you ask me ( and you didn't ).

[David]

Not to mentioned merchandise and sponsorship.

I don't get it either. Bob Ackles recently said that David Braley will likely make money for the first time this year.

Hello? We averaged 26,697 fans a game and pulled in over 55,000 for the Western Final. That's up close to a 30K average. If you conservatively estimate $30 a ticket, that's $9 million in ticket revenue alone. If you can't make money in the CFL with a 30,000 average, something's wrong.

DH 8)

[SammyGreene]

I don't get it either. Bob Ackles recently said that David Braley will likely make money for the first time this year. :?DH 8)

Ackles comment completely contradicts what was reported several times at the end of last season that Braley did indeed make money ... especially after drawing 55,000 for the WF when the break-even point was 33,000 ... nevermind that all those upper deck seats were going for $40 a pop.

Teams can cook their books anyway they want.

[Lionut]

That has been a raging debate in Ottawa as well, with the consensus being that the losses suffered by the Renegades have been grossly overstated. The previous management, when on its deathbed a month ago, tried to claim that they had "papered the house" with about 5,000 freebies per game, but this is a pretty tight community, and none of the football guys I knew here had ever run across free tickets. It's pretty tough to paper the house and not have anyone know about it, so the feeling is they were lying.

The old ownership here spent virtually zip on marketing. When they got the franchise back, they set ticket prices far too high, flung open the doors, and then couldn't figure out why people didn't flock to the place. At least the Gliebermans know they have some work to do on the marketing end of things. Basically, the team is where the Lions were at the end of 1990s -- a good base of fans, lots of potential, but LOTS of work ahead.