Glazer Ownership Ride Began 30 Years Ago Today
January 16th, 2025
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
They said he was nuts.
On this day 30 years ago, Malcom Glazer coughed up nearly $200 million to purchase the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For some, that was considered an outrageous amount to spend on a franchise that hadn’t been to the postseason in 12 years.
Tampa Stadium was antiquated and half-empty while the Bucs were annual strangers to prime-time games.
Some fans that did show up in previous years came adorned with bags over their heads to protest the team’s irrelevance and attempt to shame former owner Hugh Culverhouse, who was viewed as frugal and indifferent.
Bill Clinton was in the Oval Office and “Dumb and Dumber” ruled at the box office.
The Allman Brothers, Janis Joplin and Led Zeppelin were just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. O.J.’s murder trial had just begun and George W. Bush was about to be sworn in as Governor of Texas.
Joel Glazer reflects on 30 years of owning the Buccaneers.
Buc supporters didn’t know it at the time, but things would change in a hurry.
A year later, the Glazers made a fateful coaching change, hiring Tony Dungy, who now boasts a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Through all the ups and downs, Tampa Bay’s ownership has remained steady, despite the passing of Malcolm Glazer in 2014. The franchise is now worth an estimated $5.4 billion and the Glazers have proven to be very active in the community with an array of charitable endeavors.
“These 30 years have definitely gone by fast,” says co-chairman Joel Glazer. “I don’t quite know where the time has gone. I’ve always felt the key to success is stability and continuity. There are so many factors in sports that go into winning — to have that stability underpins all chances of success.”
Along the way, the Glazers earned the respect of fellow owners. The family has steadily raised its profile in league circles, serving on key committees while committing funds for improvements to Raymond James Stadium.
“The Glazers have been a tremendous asset to the NFL and the Tampa Bay community for three decades,” says Falcons owner Arthur Blank, a division rival since entering the league in 2002.
“The success of the Buccaneers on the field and the team’s positive impact in their community are unmistakable and the Glazers have also been an important voice in the growth and strength of the NFL.”
Both of Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl victories have come under the stewardship of the Glazers, who tend to keep a low profile.
In 2005, the Glazers also purchased Manchester United, a historic soccer franchise that has had mixed success in the Premier League under their ownership tenure.
Fandom and passion has multiple members of the Glazer family at every Bucs game.
Joel Glazer says he has attended every Buc game, home or away, during the regular season and playoffs since 1995. He and his five siblings can often be seen welcoming Buc players into the locker room after a victory.
“We have zero regrets about owning the team,” he says. “Zero point zero. It’s been an unbelievable experience. At the end of the day, the greatest part of the whole thing is when you’re winning and the joy it brings to the community and our fans. There’s no more rewarding feeling than that.”
Beginning in 1997, the Bucs made the playoffs seven times in 11 years. The 2002 club, guided by new head coach Jon Gruden, routed the Raiders in the Super Bowl as the Glazers gathered jubilantly on a midfield podium for the presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
But starting in 2008, Buc supporters endured a 12-year playoff drought that tested their patience.
“We’ve got the best fans in the world,” Joel Glazer says. “They’re unbelievable. They’re with our team through thick and thin. They love the Buccaneers and there’s a special connection.”
The Glazers fired six coaches, including Dungy and Gruden, before Bruce Arians arrived in 2019. Another Vince Lombardi Trophy would soon follow with Tom Brady under center.
The team has been competitive with Todd Bowles on the sidelines the past three years.
Patriarch Malcom Glazer is remembered in the NFL for “a welcoming spirit.”
“They do things the right way and represent the best of what we all hope these franchises can be in the league and for the fans,” Blank says. “Personally, I’ll always be grateful to Malcolm as he was the first owner to reach out and offer advice and perspective in a welcoming spirit when I bought the Falcons. They have always been great partners to me and the rest of the league.”
The Glazers recently commissioned a film crew to chronicle the first 50 years of a franchise that began play in 1976. It’s a massive, expensive project that includes dozens of interviews with key figures, including current ownership.
The sprawling documentary is expected to be ready by the summer, debuting in a local movie theater.
The lengthy list of fired coaches suggests the Glazers have made their share of mistakes along the way. Following the 2002 championship season, they were unable to repair the rift between Gruden and former GM Rich McKay.
In between McKay’s departure and the arrival of Jason Licht in 2014, the executive suite appeared to be in disarray.
Besides winning two Super Bowls, the Glazers oversaw the construction of Raymond James Stadium, ushered in lavish new headquarters for the franchise and signed off on a long-overdue indoor facility.
These past three decades have offered Joel Glazer a front-row seat for the thrill ride and despair that comes with owning an NFL franchise.
Would Buc fans prefer a Jerry Jones, who routinely usurps the authority of the head coach in Big D, or Jets owner Woody Johnson, clueless about building a winning organization?
The 2024 Buc season just ended in disappointing fashion with an opening-round playoff exit, yet ownership is hardly discouraged.
“I’m very excited about our future,” Glazer says. “We have a young core of good players — and that’s the key to growing.”
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Ira Kaufman Dives Very Deep On Defensive Issues, Fixes & Successes, Talks Todd Bowles Distortions And Realities, Final Washington Feedback, And More
January 16th, 2025 at 6:01 am
There are good rich people and good poor people. There are bad rich people and bad poor people. I’d have to say our owners are very, very rich very, very good people.
January 16th, 2025 at 7:30 am
As a Manchester United fan they have not been good – any investment for players has been directly out of the clubs profits. The Glazers burdened the club with the debt & there has been little investment in Old Trafford which was once the best Stadium in the League. They take there dividend payment every year and as long as the money keeps coming in seem content.
As a Bucs fan they seem much more invested in NFL but then the business model is totally different and there is a salary cap floor etc. so money must be spent on the team regardless.
I wish they would just sell Utd and go back to foucussing on the Bucs alone as that seems to work well.
January 16th, 2025 at 7:33 am
I had the opportunity to meet (very very briefly) Malcom Glazer and some of the family. They were told by a senior manager in my division that I was an avid fan and a season ticket holder. They took the time to find me, shake my hand, thank me for supporting the Bucs, and said they were going to do what it took to win a lot of football games etc…. 28 years ago I was a bit gobsmacked but still remember the look in Malcom’s eyes when he shook my hand and the genuine smiles on all their faces. They ARE good people.
January 16th, 2025 at 7:39 am
Success starts at the top. The Glazers have made a huge and positive impact on the Bucs franchise and the Tampa Bay community. I can’t think of but one or two ownership situations among other franchises that can even hold a candle to them.
January 16th, 2025 at 7:55 am
I met Malcolm Glazer in an elevator at the Bucs hotel in Carolina in the late 90’s. 1998 or 1999 I think. It was at that time when the stadium was at issue and there was idle chit chat that maybe the Bucs would be sailing out of Tampa.
Mr. Glazer was genuine and interested. He asked questions about me being in Carolina in Bucs gear for the game. He asked about my family. As we parted ways he promised me that his priority was to keep the Bucs in Tampa. Rest in peace sir.
Hat tip to Pat Yasinskas…you know why Pat. Wink wink…
January 16th, 2025 at 8:40 am
$190M to buy the Bucs, what a deal in today’s dollars.
I delivered a pizza to Joel Glazer when I still lived in Tampa in the early 2000’s. Dude gave me a $3 tip lol cheapskate.
January 16th, 2025 at 8:42 am
We are fortunate to have good owners, not idiots like Jerry Jones. I wonder how the Glazers see this season? Wins and losses, it was the same as last year. This year was a step back in the playoffs, losing in the wildcard round. Fans were generally happy, but still disappointed, in the season. The Bucs are barely a winning team.
They took a risk on Coen and he delivered a much improved offense with Licht’s rookies being impactful. They had trust that Bowles would fix the defense from last year. There was no progress there and the defense was the weakest unit on the team.
Licht and the scouting department had some good rookie pickups this past draft where the offensive rookies were developed and used by Coen. Most of the defensive draft picks haven’t worked out so well in the last couple years. Will Licht find the money and FINALLY pick up some impactful free agents?
It seems the Glazers are bringing Bowles back and WANT to bring Coen back. I wonder what message was sent to Bowles? Are the Glazers happy with a marginally winning team that barely makes the playoffs in the worst division in football?
January 16th, 2025 at 9:08 am
The Glazer family has been an outstanding ownership group and a real assent to the community. There were a few rough spots when they first acquired Man U but that’s now in rearview mirror. If not for the Glazer family I’m not sure the bay area would even have a franchise. Now, as far as Coen. That is a top priority, no way of knowing what is going on behind the scenes. Hopefully they have secured (some variation of) a right of first refusal from Coen and his agent. At least I hope so. If not, if Coen were to leave the fallout will surely be unpleasant. Confident they understand that. Doesn’t make the waiting any easier. In the bigger picture the issue of how to proceed on a stadium. I would like to hear what they have in mind. New stadium? Partial roof? I don’t have much experience in putting together stadium deals but RJS is not getting any younger and at some point something has to be done. It’s not an issue that will resolve itself through the passing of time.
January 16th, 2025 at 9:46 am
What can the Glazers do to keep Liam Coen? Pay him more? Promote to assistant head coach? Promise him the HC job when Bowles leaves?
Perhaps a line of Coenhead merch for sale at RayJay?
January 16th, 2025 at 10:29 am
I was wondering if the Bucs were going to do something special for their 50th birthday…something a little more special than a patch on the jersey.
I’m old enough to remember being impressed with the “10” patch back in the day.
January 16th, 2025 at 10:34 am
Joe isn’t sure about that — but a patch seems reasonable.
The Bucs are producing a huge documentary of the history of the Bucs (which Ira is part of).
January 16th, 2025 at 12:02 pm
No one ever mentions it but lest we forget the kernels of history that make up an owners’ legacy. Malcolm Glazer was at the owners meeting that doles out future Super bowl sites(Bucs had been promised an upcoming Super Bowl once RayJay was built) and sites were passed out to several other cities and NFL was trying to close the meeting without awarding our stadium a set future SB , but Malcolm was having none of that. Malcolm took off one of his loafers and proceeded to bang it on the table like a gavel and said “I was promised a Super Bowl once I had a new stadium and no one is leaving here until I damn well get one”. Hence SBXXXV in 2001 in Tampa-Thanks Malcolm.
January 16th, 2025 at 12:14 pm
Anyone who wants to complain about the Glazers simply need to look at the rest of the league. We are very lucky to have owners who don’t over-insert themself in the roster building. I’ve also never heard of any former coaches claim that the owners did anything to impede their plans to win.
January 16th, 2025 at 2:29 pm
Well done Glazer family….200mil to over 5bil is a nice return
January 16th, 2025 at 3:40 pm
The Glazers are mediocre
Stu from the Rays is trash
Vinik from the Lightning is an absolute gad. Best owner in sports
January 16th, 2025 at 4:37 pm
This was a beautiful article about the Glazers and being 30 years ago. Seems just like yesterday the way you outlined it all. Time sure does go by fast. I am super excited about the film coming out next summer.
January 16th, 2025 at 5:59 pm
I’ve also never heard of any former coaches claim that the owners did anything to impede their plans to win.
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Jon Gruden Suggested that one of the brothers could suck his di$k.
January 16th, 2025 at 6:01 pm
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Not a shot at the Glazers! They are a total class act!!!
January 17th, 2025 at 1:42 am
Great article Ira!