Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Manchester United owner Malcolm Glazer, who passed away this past May, was the subject of threats by some that were not happy with him purchasing the English soccer club.
The following report comes directly from the Associated Press, who requested that the FBI release records under the Freedom of Information Act.
Glazer had already owned the Bucs for a decade when he acquired Manchester United in a leveraged buyout valued at roughly $1.4 billion. Fans who opposed foreign ownership decried the move, fearing he would sell off the stadium, raise prices and saddle the club with debt.
At the time, some Manchester United supporters burned Glazer’s likeness in effigy, urged fans to wear black and wave black flags, and called for a boycott of the club’s sponsors. British police had also said they were investigating threats from a militant fan group.
On the morning of May 12, 2005, the day Glazer became the majority shareholder, a male caller with a British accent called the Buccaneers headquarters, asked many questions about the Bucs and ended the call by saying he wished Glazer were dead, according to an FBI report on the threat.
The report goes on to indicate that other calls were received within the Buccaneers headquarters setting a deadline for Glazer to pull his bid to take over Manchester United.
The FBI issued subpoenas as part of the investigation, but no charges were filed because they couldn’t pinpoint who was making the threats.
Glazer died this past May after suffering multiple strokes over the years. His children are now running both the Buccaneers and Manchester United.
Photo: ESPN.com