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NFL, Steelers Owners Have 'Productive' Sale Talks

4 Rooney Brothers Seek Deal To Buy Out Shares In Team

POSTED: 7:13 am EDT August 26, 2008
UPDATED: 5:44 pm EDT August 26, 2008

Who will own the Pittsburgh Steelers? A meeting that took place Tuesday in New York could help determine the future of the team.

National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell said he had a "productive" discussion with Steelers chairman Dan Rooney and his brothers at the NFL offices.

Goodell told WTAE Channel 4's news exchange partner, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, that he expects the team's ownership situation will be resolved soon, but he has not set a deadline.

"I think these are issues that, because of their complexity, because there's clear emotion issues here, that we have to be patient but firm with respect to getting these resolved," Goodell told the Trib.

Dan Rooney has been trying to buy out brothers Art Jr., John, Patrick and Timothy. Each of the five owns 16 percent of the Steelers franchise.

The NFL requires its team ownership groups to include one person who owns at least 30 percent. Also, Dan Rooney's brothers hold shares in racetracks that now offer casino gaming, which is not in compliance with league guidelines.

Stanley Druckenmiller, a New Yorker who lived in Pittsburgh for many years and founded the Duquesne Capital investment fund, is interested in buying a majority stake in the team.

"There's great respect for the Rooney family in the National Football League, and we want to do everything we can to ensure the Steelers will continue to be operated by the Rooneys," Goodell told the Trib.

Dan Rooney's brothers have been working with investment firm Goldman, Sachs & Co. to determine a possible sale price.

Any sale must be approved by the owners of at least 24 of the NFL's 32 teams.

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