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M3g4d37h t1_je88084 wrote

Reply to comment by Morrigane in On March 28, 1984, Bob Irsay (1923-1997), owner of the once-mighty Baltimore Colts, moves the team to Indianapolis. Without any sort of public announcement, Irsay hired movers to pack up the team's offices in Owings Mills, Maryland, in the middle of the night, while the city of Baltimore slept. by DfcukinLite

Dude, this was a direct result of Mayor Shaefer's direct threat to Robert Irsay that Baltimore would try and take the team by eminent domain. This is precisely why it happened the way it did.

As much as I can't stand the Irsays. I'd have done the same thing.

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jabbadarth t1_je8cvxh wrote

>Irsay's verbal abuse of his players after a loss in a final preseason match to the Detroit Lions at the Pontiac Silverdome on September 2, 1976, led to head coach Ted Marchibroda's resignation three days later on September 5. Marchibroda was also at odds with Thomas over player personnel decisions. He was rehired two days later on September 7 after offensive and defensive coordinators Whitey Dovell and Maxie Baughan threatened to quit and the players considered boycotting practice, all in support of Marchibroda.[7][8]

>Irsay's dysfunctional relationships with certain players in contract disputes and coaches accelerated the Colts' on-field decline in the ensuing years. He was accused of bad faith bargaining and racial discrimination by running back Lydell Mitchell who was eventually sent to the San Diego Chargers on August 23, 1978.[9] Defensive end John Dutton contended that Irsay had spread "too many lies" about him and sat out the early part of the 1979 campaign while demanding a trade. He added, "I don't think he cares about the team, it's just a toy to him."[10] Dutton was dealt to the Dallas Cowboys on October 9, 1979.[11] Irsay also continually second-guessed Marchibroda.[12]

Also let's not forget irsay showing up on TV wasted drunk yelling about how this was his team and if he was gonna move it he would say so.

Irsay was a fucking shitbag. The city was trying to keep a beloved team in town that was beneficial to the city but irsay was a greedy shitbag prick.

He had years of shitty erratic behavior before he snuck away in the knight. Blame the city all you want but they were only acting in the interest of the residents (an often far cry from the leadership of today)

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M3g4d37h t1_je8jmm0 wrote

> acting in the interest of the residents

First of all, we're on the same side as far as my opinion of the Irsay family - But make no mistake, it was the threat of eminent domain that directly resulted in the team moving. That's what happens every time when you fuck with a rich man's money. Schaefer gambled big and lost big. This is on his shoulders, and I loved that guy.

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MFoy t1_je8f1hw wrote

It wasn’t just a threat. The day before the team moved, a new bill passed the State Senate that would amend eminent domain laws to allow the state seize the team. It was being debated in the House of Delegates the next day, and was signed by the Governor within 48 hours of the team moving.

Furthermore, the city of Baltimore literally amended the town charter to make it illegal for the city to spend a penny on a new stadium.

The state refused to spend $25m on upgrades to memorial stadium on things like adequate plumbing, and then after the colts left spent $110m on Camden Yards, $200m on Ravens stadium, and a further $50m on “moving expenses” to help the Browns come from Cleveland all within 15 years.

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BlueFalconPunch t1_je92jgt wrote

"...after the Colts left spent..."

Yes 15 years after the Colts left...Memorial stadium was still being used by the Os for years after they left.

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MFoy t1_je97ae4 wrote

Colts left in 1984. Construction on Camden Yards started construction in 1989, opened in 1991. Ravens came back in 1996, M&T Bank Stadium (then Ravens Stadium) opened in 1998. That’s all within 15 years.

Problem was, first Baltimore had to reverse the town charter, did that in the fall of 1984. They couldn’t even hire someone to start thinking about the new stadium. Then they haggled over the site, then the design, then paying for it. I would say 5 years from “it is illegal for this city to spend money towards a stadium” to shovels in the ground is pretty good.

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M3g4d37h t1_je8fgj5 wrote

.. And to add to this, Cleveland more or less pulled the same act on Modell. His team was the big draw in Cleveland, and he watched as they built new venues for everyone else, and denied him. As I understand it, the Rock 'n' Roll HOF was the straw that broke the camel's back - But to his credit, he gave them the name, which he didn't owe them - The Irsays floated a $30M price to Baltimore in order for Baltimore to retain the team name.

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MFoy t1_je8i5ia wrote

Actually, in Cleveland, he asked for $175m or else he would move the team. The initiative was put on the ballot, and then 48 hours before the vote, he announced he was moving the team anyways, no matter what happened with the money.

The ballot passed, and the team left, so the city used the money from the ballot to build a new stadium.

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M3g4d37h t1_je8ijox wrote

Good. Why wait for strike 4? Jacobs Field, the FieldHouse , and the RNRHOF were all built while he was putting asses in the seats. I guess they were more worried about that one fucking guy who was at the Indians games with his big tom-tom drum.

Cleveland treated him like a red-headed stepchild.

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hymie0 t1_je9bno9 wrote

He didn't "give them the name." The NFL interfered. They wouldn't let him take the name. They declared the Cleveland Browns to be a still-existing but temporarily-dormant team, and called the Ravens a new expansion team.

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hachachachacha t1_jeatj95 wrote

Cleveland sued, keeping the name and getting a new team was part of the settlement the NFL agreed to so it wouldn't go to trial.

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vintage2019 t1_jee1bgq wrote

I feel like that is the right procedure with any relocating franchises.

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DMelanogastard t1_je89g84 wrote

Me personally I just can’t relate to being alcoholic, racist, capitalist prick

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M3g4d37h t1_je8fku7 wrote

Can you relate to a motherfucker trying to put their hand in your pocket though? Because one has fuck-all to do with the other.

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theallen247 t1_je8i7rx wrote

oh no capitalism, better stop using Reddit, throw your phone in the bin

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DMelanogastard t1_je8ipjo wrote

How could I not realize that capitalism is when iPhone! I’ve been so thoroughly outwitted

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Dontaskmeaboutnam t1_je9bz2e wrote

Fuck the billionaire boys club that is the leagues. We should eminent domain the sports teams if the public wants them so much instead of floating $1.2 billion to upgrade the areas surrounding the stadiums. Why do the profits go the league if they need public funding?

You people are out of your minds.

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