TECO president: TSA's actions 'not fair'

There's more than just Jim Leavitt and Judy Genshaft who are incensed that USF can't finish its 2008 season with a Thursday night ESPN home game against Rutgers because of the ACC championship game, as the issue was brought up at Wednesday's meeting of the USF board of trustees.

John Ramil, president and CEO of TECO Energy, Inc., said he felt a need to show his fellow trustees what he feels is a disrespect shown to USF by the Tampa Sports Authority, which granted the ACC exclusive use of Raymond James Stadium in the four days leading up to the ACC title game on Dec. 6. As a result, USF cannot play a key conference game in a prime window on national television on Dec. 4.

"The ACC game has some economic value to Tampa, yes, but when you talk about economic development, in jobs and investments, USF has over $3-billion of economic impact a year," Ramil told the Times. "I don't think they're equitable in any fashion."

USF athletic director Doug Woolard asked Ramil to sit in on negotiations with TSA officials last summer, as the two sides were working on a new lease agreement at Raymond James. The contract, signed in August, is a five-year agreement with a five-year extension and allows USF to opt out of the deal at any point with two years' notice.

Ramil took exception to a statement in Wednesday's Tampa Tribune that said USF could have had a right of first refusal for dates during football season if USF had negotiated it into the contract. Ramil said he anticipated conflicts such as this and specifically sought such a priority clause for USF, only to be rebuffed by TSA officials.

"It was made very clear that no one had priority to use the stadium (beyond the Buccaneers)," Ramil said.

Ramil said when he initially asked TSA executive director Henry Saavedra, he was reminded that the contract being negotiated was for only five years, with the short escape clause, and as a result, giving USF a right of first refusal "is not going to happen." Ramil said he asked if the case would be different if USF considered a longer deal with no opt-out clause, but Saavedra still did not want to grant the Bulls the right to veto any conflicts to their schedule.

"To put the home team in third place to pursue other games, that is not a real fair thing to do," Ramil told the Times.

Saavedra said Thursday that USF and TSA had been negotiating the current contract for more than a year before he met with Ramil, and that USF had shown no interest in a longer contract, such as a 15-year agreement with no immediate escape clause. Saavedra said the Bucs have their priority because they signed a 30-year contract with four five-year options.

"As far as I'm concerned, (the USF deal) is a two-year contract," Saavedra said. "When (exclusivity) was brought up in August, it was less than a month before the first game of the season, and we felt it was too late at that point. ... If securing dates is important to you, you include it in the contract."

Tampa mayor Pam Iorio has called together officials from USF and TSA, as well as local government officials, for a meeting this afternoon to allow both sides to voice their concerns, hoping to bring the two sides to a better understanding. Leavitt, Genshaft and Woolard will be attending on USF's behalf.

Comments

[The Truth]

The TECO executive just gave the TSA their "No Sh#t Sherlock" moment.

USF has over $3-billion of economic impact a year, plus a very large number of local residents who are alumni of USF.

The TSA and the Bucs have not done anything to enhance my career or provide me a better life. USF has, and the deserve consideration for the large impact they have on the local community.

[Hmmm.....]

Saavedra went to FSU... imagine that.

[Sailingbull]

If it is within the Mayor's power, Saavedra and the rest of the TSA should be fired regardless of the final outcome here. It is failry clear that they are trying to damage USF any way they can. What is his excuse this time? Because they didn't sign a 30 year deal? Why would they do that with the way TSA has treated them thus far? The TSA knows there is nowhere else for USF to go and they have been screwing them since day one on OUR tax dollar. Give me a break. FIRE EVERYONE ON THE TSA BOARD!

What is also missing here is the ACC has the chance to stand up and be the "hero" of the situation and let USF have Thursday night. USF has conceded to play on a blank field and make other concessions in order to work with them. Instead they're content to play the villian and that is just a shame.

I hope the stadium is completely empty on that Saturday for a game between Duke and Wake Forest.

[Dave W]

Thank you, Mr. Ramil. Apparently you are the only intelligent and rational human being in Tampa outside of the scope of USF.

TSA has proven to be a terrible association for USF to have. In fact, TSA is probably the worst sports authority in the nation. No one else would risk alienating their second best client for a one-time event that won't draw as many people as an average USF game.

[Rich]

Maybe the TECO president can threaten to pull advertising from stadium? (I never understood why TECO advertises in the first place. it's not like I have a choice in which electric company I use). Get some other local companies that advertise in the stadium to put some pressure on them (i.e. Publix, Outback, etc)too. It might not resolve this immediate issue but may force them to give us first right of refusal in the future.

[keith]

USF should take the game over to piniellas county, and i agree with those that allude to the notion that this reeks of shady backroom politicking.

[UFAlum]

The Bucs oppossed to USF playing in their new stadium when football was being bantered about in the early 90s. When they noticed that community funding would be close they gladly accepted USF as a partner as a way to build community support. Since then they have done nothing but tread on them and treat them as an afterthough.

Time for USF to just say screw them and build their own venue.

Rich, While it would be a great idea for advertisers to pull out, it won't happen. They aren't there for USF, they are there for the Bucs.

I am not a USF fan, but a local supporter who does have season tickets.

Good luck in this.

[keith]

we could agree to another round of HOME and HOMEs with UCF if they allow us to brand their stadium LOL

[RR]

Wow.

Beautiful.

This just keeps getting better.

TSA is USF's daddy, and Malcolm Glazer is TSA's daddy. Thus, Malcolm Glazer is USF's daddy.

If this doesn't at least START the ball rolling on fund raising for a new on-campus stadium, nothing will.

[Jonny]

It will be in all of our best interests here to not go to the ACC game, and hope that the attendance is pitiful there...

[gdp]

I don't see a bunch of USF folks going to the game but rather than NOT go, I think it would be a good idea to actually PROTEST outside the stadium.

Also, while I understand the financial impact of an OCS, I think this should at least give us cause to actually invest in a good, detailed study/investigation of the feasibility of building an OCS. Not like UCF but not like Minnesota either.

[Jim]

I hope that who ever over see's the TSA takes note and in the next round of appointments makes some changes. TSA sucks. They have no respect for citizens of Tampa and USF. I bet they get kickbacks from the Glazers.

[Jim]

Oh, yea and I am not going to the game now take that ACC

[Andy]

I'm glad Mr. Ramill spoke up. No way I'm going to the ACC title game. I hope the teams are Maryland and Virginia (I dont even know if they are in the same division or not, but you get the idea) and its an attendence disaster for them. I think better than protesting outside (or inside) the stadium would be just to totally avoid it and see an empty stadium on national television.

[Rich]

UFAlum,

I realize they aren't there for USF. You missed my point. The fact is TECO's president is on USF's board and is complaining about the unfair treatment. I believe USF gets a good deal of support from Chris Sullivan so they have some association there. Both of these businesses advertise in the stadium. Doesn't look like TSA is doing a good job of keeping at least one of their advertisers happy(TECO pres). I'm not saying it would ever happen but I know as a business owner I would bend over backwards to keep my customers happy.

[steve oneal]

Not only is Saavedra's cavalier attitide towards USF sickening, the comments of rob higgins with the tampa bay sports council being "dissapointed with USF" are particularly offensive and hard to grasp seeing as how he is a graduate of USF. The Tampa tribune editorial chastising Genshaft was a bunch of sh-t. I would love to see the community step up and prove the trib wrong and USF get that on campus stadium and compete with ray jay for events. GO BULLS!

[Joseph]

I wish that there was not so much bad blood between USF and Central Florida, otherwise, they could move the game to the Citrus Bowl.

[Jake]

Are you kidding me. Do you know how many visitors the ACC Title game would have brought to Tampa? Why would they ruin this cities chance at bringing in visitors to stimulate the local economy.

Oh wait that is right it only draws about 20K people of which 70% are local residents.

People please do your homework before spewing uneducated garbage on the internet.

[Ken]

The meeting's done, and things will change, though probably not enough to suit many of us. Let's just hope that no one goes to that stupid ACC game.