Steelers minority owner Thomas Tull is not trying to buy the Pirates, according to a source.
FanRag sports reported Wednesday that Tull, the former CEO of Legendary Entertainment who purchased a stake in the Steelers in 2009, was interested in making an offer to Pirates chairman Bob Nutting upwards of $1 billion.
Nutting assumed control of the franchise in 2007. In 11 seasons since, the Pirates have gone 838-942 with three winning seasons. Those three seasons, 2013-15, also resulted in playoff appearances, but the team did not advance past the Division Series, twice losing in the wild-card game at home.
Payroll has doubled during Nutting’s tenure as principal owner but still remains in the bottom third in baseball despite revenue sharing and an increase in national television money.
Tull is a memorabilia collector and Pirates fan; he bought the jersey and bat from Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series at an auction. He was part of a group that expressed interest in buying the San Diego Padres in 2012.
Nutting has received an unsolicited offer to buy the Pirates in the past. In 2010, Penguins co-owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle made an offer to Nutting, who said at the time the Pirates are not for sale.
Bill Brink: bbrink@post-gazette.com and on Twitter @BrinkPG
First Published: October 18, 2017, 10:33 p.m.
