Pittsburgh Steelers Co-Owner And Billionaire Film Producer Look To Increase Stake In The Team

On September 20, 1933, a team called the Pittsburgh Pirates, which would later become the Pittsburgh Steelers, took to the football field for the first time ever. Their first-ever game was against the New York Giants in a tough 23-2 loss. This team would initially struggle not making the playoffs until 1947. The Steelers would struggle up until the 1970s when legendary Head Coach Chuck Noll took over.

From there, the rest is history for the Steel City; six Super Bowl Championships, eight AFC Championships, 24 Divisional Championships, 32 Hall of Fame Inductees, four stadiums, and one Rooney family. The organization's rich history is what helped create the NFL into what it is today.

A New Opportunity For A Stake In The Steelers' Ownership 

Although the Steelers are one of the most historically rich teams in the league, a new opportunity for a stake in the Steelers' ownership has come up. This opportunity arises after former Steelers minority owner Josh Harris became a managing partner with the Washington Commanders. Per NFL rules, one person cannot hold interest in multiple franchises, which is why Harris alongside his partner David Blitzer will have to sell their share of the team. Harris and Blitzer's equity in the team is estimated to be 5%.

Beyond the Steelers owner, Art Rooney II, there are also 19 other members who hold ownership in the team. The team's estimated value is at $4.63 billion, which means the 5% that is being sold should go for about $232 million. This should bring in a $92 million profit for Harris and Blitzer from their original purchase which cost a reported $140 million. The Steelers are reportedly looking into their current ownership members to buy this percentage since they would already be vetted by the NFL.

The person who is reportedly in talks to gain this percentage of the Steelers is billionaire film producer Thomas Tull. He has been a partial owner of the team since 2009. Some of the movies that Tull has produced are Godzilla, Pacific Rim, and 42. He was also an executive producer of the film The Dark Knight Rises which takes place in Pittsburgh and features many former Steelers players portrayed by the fictional football team the Gotham Rogues. In the movie, Tull also took on a role as an actor, in which he played the Rogues' team owner.

Tull currently lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and their children. He has also become a very active member of the Pittsburgh community giving donations to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation towards pediatric research and art therapy, as well as giving a grant to the University of Pittsburgh to be used for brain cancer research. Although Tull graduated from Hamilton College, he is currently on the board of Carnegie Mellon University which resides in Pittsburgh.

However, Tull is not the only person who has interest in buying this share of the organization. There are also outsiders who do not already have a percentage of the Steelers who could want in on the action, as well as the other minority owners. There is also the possibility that Rooney could buy this share.

This is not the first time that a percentage of the Steelers organization has gone back on the market. Current Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper had previously been a partial owner of the Steelers before buying the team that he owns now. When this happened, the Rooney family bought back some of the shares.

Nobody knows what will happen other than Harris and Blitzer, but whoever this percentage goes to will take advantage of getting to own a piece of one of the greatest organizations in all of sports.

So, what do you think, Steeler Nation? Will Tull be the one who buys this percentage in the team? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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