Biography
In 1972 the Chicago-born Irsay purchased the Rams franchise for a reported $19 million with the intent to trade it to Carroll Rosenbloom for his Baltimore Colts franchise. The person credited with brokering the franchise swap was Jacksonville, Florida, attorney Hugh Culverhouse, who bought the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers from the financially ailing Thomas McCloskey about two years earlier.
In a controversial decision Irsay moved the Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis, Indiana, in the early morning hours of March 28, 1984, to become the Indianapolis Colts. Many fans of the Baltimore Colts continue to harbor resentment at Irsay, for perceived theft of the Colts and associated memorabilia, despite Baltimore gaining a new franchise, the Baltimore Ravens many years later.
After Irsay's death in Indianapolis on January 14, 1997, the Colts were inherited by his son, Jim, who serves as CEO. Bill Polian handled the day-to-day operations of the team as vice-chairman until his dismissal after the 2011 season.
Read more about this topic: Robert Irsay
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