'84 Chronology-Einhorn Eyes Blitz

Event Date: May 4th, 1984

Event Description: Blitz For Sale

Source: United Press International

Chicago White Sox owners Eddie Einhorn and Jerry Reinsdorf are close to reaching an agreement to buy the financially beleaguered Chicago Blitz of the U.S. Football League, it was reported today.

The Chicago Sun-Times said a highly-placed source in the USFL's New York office and officials of two league franchises confirmed Einhorn and Reinsdorf were about to buy the Blitz.

The sources also said Einhorn and Reinsdorf intend to move the team after the 1985 season from its home in Soldier Field to Comiskey Park, where the White Sox play.

Both the USFL office and acting Blitz general manager Carl Marasco refused to comment on reports of the sale. “I have no knowledge of it (the sale),” Marasco said. “No comment.”

The Sun-Times said Einhorn met with USFL commissioner Chet Simmons during a recent White Sox-Yankees series in New York and has attended three Blitz home games this season. Both Reinsdorf and Einhorn were unavailable for comment.

If they do purchase the Blitz, Reinsdorf and Einhorn will be taking over one of the league's most troubled franchises.

The Blitz' current owner, Dr. James Hoffman, turned the team's operations over to the league just before the start of the season, citing poor ticket sales, front office confusion and his dislike for traveling from his home in Milwaukee to Chicago.

Hoffman still owes $7.6 million to the team's previous owner Dr. Ted Diethrich as part of a purchase agreement reached Sept. 30. The team's debts also include between $2 million and $3 million in losses that have been incurred since the USFL began running the Blitz.

Blitz attendance declined from an average of 18,045 in the league's first year to a 1984 average of 8,588 -- the league's lowest. On the field, the Blitz are tied for last place in the USFL Central Division with a 3-7 record.

The team also has suffered from identity problems in the Chicago market since a complicated franchise swap that resulted in last year's Arizona Wranglers becoming this year's Blitz.

Under that deal, Diethrich moved most of the original Blitz team to Arizona to become the new Wranglers. He then sold last year's Wranglers to Hoffman, who took the club to Chicago and called it the Blitz.

Story-(UPI)