Despite Ancient Gambling Ties, Steelers Owners May Have to Sell
Acting as if the team's and league's histories were not intricately intertwined with gambling, the Rooney family, owners of the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers, moved to divide team control among family members so as not to conflict with relatives with gambling interests.
Dan Rooney and son Art Rooney II moved to acquire shares of the team held by four of Dan's brothers, Art Jr., Patrick, John, and Timothy. The brothers plan on concentrating their efforts on other businesses, including family-owned racetracks in New York and Florida.
The race tracks by themselves do not constitute a violation of the NFL's anti-gambling regulations, but the slots and other video gambling devices installed at the tracks do. So, while one branch of the family tries to avoid selling off the team that has only known the Rooneys as owners, another branch will continue to pursue the racino interests.
The team is valued by Goldman Sachs at anywhere from $800 million to $1.2 billion, and some of the family are concerned Dan may have to take on too much debt to retain control of the team, and want to consider outside bids.
The irony, and hypocrisy, of the whole situation is that Art Rooney Sr., the franchise's founding father, paid his franchise fee to the NFL with winnings acquired in a longshot parlay jackpot he hit at Saratoga Downs. The fact is that the early NFL ownership was rife with gamblers and figures associated with organized crime; and the popularity of the game has been and remains driven by gambling. The natural fit of the game to gambling and to Black Sox fixer Arnold Rothstein's point spread system of betting has been a major cause of the boom in football's growth.
Even as late as the early 70s, the death of Carroll Rosenbloom was whispered to involve mob ties; Rosenbloom, who had traded ownership of the Colts for that of the Rams, died in a drowning incident that many though had strong elements of foul play, and he had been long considered to be involved with organized crime.
Still, the NFL must retain the illusion that it is above gambling, and plays the game strictly for the game's sake. Thus, a venerable football family may be driven to sell, all to continue an illusion.
