Remember when the NFL forced the Steelers to change their ownership group?

[zulater]

The Steelers were forced to change their ownership group by Herr Goodell because members of the Rooney family were involved in horse and dog tracks. Of course these ties go back decades, Art Rooney Sr I believe founded Yonkers Raceway and believe the same is true for several dog racing tracks in southern Florida. Now of course in the past decade Yonkers has also gotten slots and this is why the league supposedly acted. How legal slot machines have any bearing on football games is beyond me?

But I'll tell you what does have a relation to football games. These weekly fantasy football "contests" such as DraftKings and FanDuel. Now I don't play these, but I know people that do, and I've got no problem with them. But to say they aren't a form of gambling is total shit. Anyway guess who's heavily invested in draftkings? None other than Patriot owner Robert Kraft.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft continues to be a backer of Boston-based DraftKings via the Kraft Group.


http://www.legalsportsreport.com/264...by-fox-sports/

So let me get this right. The long standing owners of the Steelers who's ties to legal sports betting ventures predates Goodell by decades. Forms of gambling that in no way have any remote relationship to football, were forced to sell.

But Robert Kraft invests heavily into a fly by night gambling operation that is dependent on NFL football play and that's ok?

Anyone care to defend Herr Asshole on this one?

[ALLD]

Corruption. No doubt Goodell is getting a cut.

[86WARD]

Pretty F'ed up if you ask me.

[zulater]

I'm not sure if people realize that due to Goodell's heavy handed tactic's that it was nip and tuck whether any Rooney would be able to retain ownership of the Steelers. All brothers had an equal 16% share as I recall, and Dan was forced to buy out three of his brothers (Art Jr retained his share) So Dan, who's wealth is almost strictly tied into the Steelers had to figure out a way to come up with the money to buy out people who didn't want to sell. As silly as it sounds in NFL owners terms Dan is a relative pauper. So getting back to the situation of the time, Dan to come up with that sort of cash could either go liquid in other words sell his own share of the team, which of course is insane and not going to accomplish the aims anyway, or go outside of the organization and find willing minority partners to invest millions for a silent partnership. Again no easy task.Though somehow he managed it. I know people close to Tim Rooney (from my horse racing ties, Shamrock farm in particular) who said Dan was very worried that he would have to sell the Steelers entirely or at least lose controlling interest in them. I've often wondered if Goodell or one of his puppet masters (Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft) tried to force that very outcome so as to bring in another new billionaire to the "club" of NFL owners?

[st33lersguy]

We all know Bob Kraft runs the league anyway. Goodell is just a willing puppet

[Devilsdancefloor]

this is such bullshit, but what else can we expext from these 2

[Count Steeler]

Now this is a story Florio should be all over. Well, that would make him an actual reporter.

Hypocrisy in the highest degree. And the other owners don't bring this up?

[BigNastyDefense]

The other owners don't bring this up because of all the money they've made under Goodell with the new TV deals.

What's really F'd up is that Dan Rooney was one of two owners (the other being Kraft) that helped Goodell become Commissioner. And in thanks Dan almost lost controlling interest in the team when his brothers weren't involved in the team one iota. They literally collected a paycheck.

I'm surprised he didn't force all Rooneys to sell their shares of the team because Art originally bought the team with gambling winnings.

[Steeldude]

Reminds of how the late SteelersFever forum was operated. Haha. Good old double-standards.

[Steel 36 Bus]

I said back when CBS built that complex at the shatcakes stadium that was some shady BS right there. until that money is made back they will be relevant. and CBS and kraft and the commish will make sure of it. hence no yr long suspension for bellyache over spygate. and the loophole BS for shady brady not being suspended for deflategate. CBS broadcasts all of the AFC teams why not build a complex at every AFC teams stadium. why the shatcakes. because some under the table shady crap going on with that deal right there. CBS Headquarters are in NY what the hell are you doing building one up in chowderland!!!

[86WARD]

Correct me if I'm wrong but shouldn't it be illegal for Kraft to have any kind of interest in the football aspect of DFS...it could easily be proved that Kraft has "insider knowledge" or information that isn't readily available to the public...

[86WARD]

So coincidentally - http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/10/06/esp...om-programming

What's to say that Bob Kraft or someone close to him didn't have this same type of information? Are NFL players allowed to gamble this way?

[zulater]

Correct me if I'm wrong but shouldn't it be illegal for Kraft to have any kind of interest in the football aspect of DFS...it could easily be proved that Kraft has "insider knowledge" or information that isn't readily available to the public...

That's just it, the chance or at at minimum appearance of malfeasance is certainly there. And I challenge anyone to make a sensible argument that these so called "contests" aren't in fact a form of gambling. So getting back to the original point, how is it that a form of gambling that derives it's outcome directly from the results of NFL games is ok for an NFL owner to be a major shareholder in, (btw Jerry Jones is also invested in a rival ff league) but slot machines at a racetrack is not? I mean what possible relationship do slot machines have to any NFL doings?

[fansince'76]

It really wasn't about gambling at all. Goodell has a pretty thinly-veiled disdain for "old guard" owners like the Rooneys and Maras. They simply don't fit into his "corporate vision" of the NFL.

Bastard probably privately celebrated with a bottle of wine in his office after Ralph Wilson died.

[Godfather]

Reminds of how the late SteelersFever forum was operated. Haha. Good old double-standards.

When did that site disappear anyway? I noticed a few months ago that it was gone. I guess the new owner's package didn't suite anybody.

[Steeldude]

When did that site disappear anyway? I noticed a few months ago that it was gone. I guess the new owner's package didn't suite anybody.

The owner tried to sell the site, but he had no takers. He basically stopped paying the fees and the site closed. The forum went downhill after the original owner sold the site. It turned into a site where a specific clique of people were allowed to troll and harass people. Haha.

[cali_fan]

We all know Bob Kraft runs the league anyway. Goodell is just a willing puppet

This

[silver & black]

I wish the NFL would force a change of ownership group in Oakland.

[teegre]

I wish the NFL would force a change of ownership group in Oakland.

The San Diego radio is flooded with stadium talk.

One idea that is circulating: Mark Davis sells the Raidahs to Stan Kroenke. Kroenke would then slide his new team into his LA stadium.

Of the three teams projected to move to LA (Bolts, Raidahs, Rams), the Raidahs would be the most successful.

[Count Steeler]

The San Diego radio is flooded with stadium talk.

One idea that is circulating: Mark Davis sells the Raidahs to Stan Kroenke. Kroenke would then slide his new team into his LA stadium.

Of the three teams projected to move to LA (Bolts, Raidahs, Rams), the Raidahs would be the most successful.

Deja vu all over again.

[TeeTee]

Now this is a story Florio should be all over. Well, that would make him an actual reporter.

Hypocrisy in the highest degree. And the other owners don't bring this up?

Sigh. It's like everything in this world: follow the $. So, did Rooneys' race tracks make any $ for the NFL? None. So, the connection to gambling was an undesirable blight. But fantasy football (FF)? It's the biggest boost to the NFL since the invention of the TV. Some stats indicate FF is on the way to DOUBLING NFL ratings to what they would be without FF. So owners are involved in that action? Look the other way. Now, when the public wakes up to what is really happening and starts asking the NFL about this obvious hypocrisy, then Kraft may be forced to get out of that biz.

Speaking of $....why did it used to be illegal to get paid $ for FF? I remember public leagues where they were not allowed to pay cash, and had to resort to other grand prizes like TVs and whatnot. What laws changed to allow full blown cash payment in public leagues? The old laws said paying cash was gambling, and thus, illegal. Not anymore. With Draft Kings being directly promoted by ESPN personalities, and with FF ads dominating air time of games, FF couldn't be bigger. It's one thing to get people to commit to a draft and be in a traditional league, but now, where you can draft weekly, on line, it's just exploded the whole thing.

[teegre]

Deja vu all over again.

19 years of hearing about "the Raidahs moving back to LA"... what's a few more???

- - - Updated - - -

Sigh. It's like everything in this world: follow the $. So, did Rooneys' race tracks make any $ for the NFL? None. So, the connection to gambling was an undesirable blight. But fantasy football (FF)? It's the biggest boost to the NFL since the invention of the TV. Some stats indicate FF is on the way to DOUBLING NFL ratings to what they would be without FF. So owners are involved in that action? Look the other way. Now, when the public wakes up to what is really happening and starts asking the NFL about this obvious hypocrisy, then Kraft may be forced to get out of that biz.

Speaking of $....why did it used to be illegal to get paid $ for FF? I remember public leagues where they were not allowed to pay cash, and had to resort to other grand prizes like TVs and whatnot. What laws changed to allow full blown cash payment in public leagues? The old laws said paying cash was gambling, and thus, illegal. Not anymore. With Draft Kings being directly promoted by ESPN personalities, and with FF ads dominating air time of games, FF couldn't be bigger. It's one thing to get people to commit to a draft and be in a traditional league, but now, where you can draft weekly, on line, it's just exploded the whole thing.

Excellent post.

[Rotorhead]

Good ? Count, I have never been a FF fan, always just rooted for my team, but the weekly leagues may get me to dabble in it during my spare time.

[Godfather]

The owner tried to sell the site, but he had no takers. He basically stopped paying the fees and the site closed. The forum went downhill after the original owner sold the site. It turned into a site where a specific clique of people were allowed to troll and harass people. Haha.

I remember when Michael sold it. We all showed up one day and saw a banner announcing the $45 subscription fee. The new owner tried to back off but the damage was done. I was part of the original group that moved over here.

[tube517]

I remember when Michael sold it. We all showed up one day and saw a banner announcing the $45 subscription fee. The new owner tried to back off but the damage was done. I was part of the original group that moved over here.

Yes, I did also. There was such a flurry of activity and luckily, HTG answered my PM's about what the hell was going on. She is sorely missed.

[86WARD]

Remember when New England stunk and they had zero fans?

[smokin3000gt]

I remember when Michael sold it. We all showed up one day and saw a banner announcing the $45 subscription fee. The new owner tried to back off but the damage was done. I was part of the original group that moved over here.

Me too. We should have an SU OG badge or something for us ol' timers that have been here since the beginning.

Crazy how fast that place burned to the ground tho..

[fansince'76]

Yes, I did also. There was such a flurry of activity and luckily, HTG answered my PM's about what the hell was going on. She is sorely missed.

She sure is...

[salamander]

I remember all of the "fun" we had at SF at the end.

Can't believe it's been over 5 years already...

[tube517]

I remember all of the "fun" we had at SF at the end.

Can't believe it's been over 5 years already...

Wow, that went by quick.