Dr. Bob Nucci purchases Tampa Bay Storm

Published on December 13, 2007 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


TAMPA - The Tampa Bay Storm announce that Tampa based Dr. Robert Nucci has purchased a majority interest in the Tampa Bay Storm from Woody Kern. The transaction includes the acquisition of a renewed sales and marketing agreement with Palace Sports & Entertainment, which keeps the team playing its games at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The Arena Football League has approved the ownership transfer from Kern to Nucci.

"The Tampa Bay Storm is the most storied franchise in the AFL and I am excited to join a championship atmosphere," said Dr. Nucci upon making the announcement. "I look forward to taking hold of the mantle of championships Mr. Kern carried and continuing the legacy. The Storm has been a perennial contender I look forward to a spectacular 2008 season. The team has a strong foundation as a well-built core of talented veterans and young players return from a team that won eight of its final nine games during a remarkable run to make the playoffs in 2007."

"With unparalleled success there is no greater coach in Arena Football than Tim Marcum. I have great faith in Tim's ability to bring another championship to this great city. Without making major changes I will provide the team with the proper resources and commitment to achieve excellence."

Dr. Bob Nucci was raised in Newark, New Jersey and currently resides with his children in Channelside in Tampa. Dr. Nucci completed his medical training at Georgetown University, School of Medicine and has been practicing medicine in the state of Florida for over a decade. He is a Board Certified Orthopedic Spine Surgeon. Dr. Nucci founded his own practice in Palm Harbor in 1995 and moved it to its current location in Tampa in 2003. He currently owns and operates Nucci Spine Institute, a 14,000 square foot premier facility, dedicated to the care and treatment of spine patients and their special needs.

He is Vice-Chief of Surgery at University Community Hospital-Carrollwood and holds memberships in the American Acadamy of Orthopedic Surgery, the North American Spine Society, and the Academy of Surgical Research. Dr. Nucci is the president of the Maria Bergamo-Nucci Charity Foundation, named after his parents, and dedicated to philanthropic endeavors throughout the Tampa Bay area. Dr. Nucci is a pioneer in innovative spine techniques and holds several patents in this area.

Woody Kern passes along a strong tradition of excellence having achieved great success with the Tampa Bay Storm. Kern, then owner of the Ft. Worth Calvary, purchased the team from Bob Gries on September 1, 1994 and operated the team for 13 seasons. During his stewardship, the team played in four championship games and brought home three ArenaBowl championships. The Storm finished third in the AFL in attendance in 2007, averaging 15,788 fans per game, while making the playoffs for the 20th time in 21 seasons.

"I have truly loved my ownership of the Storm and the wonderful relationship the team has with the Tampa Bay community," said Kern. "I am extremely proud of the accomplishments, success and championships that the Storm has brought the Tampa Bay community. I want to thank Tim Marcum, our entire staff and the St. Pete Times Forum for helping to make all of that possible. However it is now time, after 13 years of exciting ownership of the Tampa Bay Storm, to pass along the joy of ownership to Dr. Robert Nucci.

"I believe that this is in the best interest of the team, the community and my own personal situation. In looking for a partner in this transaction our priority was to find a local owner that would keep the team in the community that has so strongly embraced the Storm. Not only did we find an owner with Tampa roots we found an owner that will prove to be a tremendous caretaker of a proud franchise."

"The Arena Football League owes a debt of gratitude to Woody Kern, who was a dedicated owner and won multiple ArenaBowl championships for Tampa despite being an out-of-town operator," said Commissioner David Baker. "But Storm fans should know that Dr. Nucci brings equal passion and commitment to the team, which is one of the most successful in league history, as well as all the inherent benefits of being an in-market owner. The Arena Football League is stronger today because of this seamless transaction."

"The Sale of the Storm would not have taken place without the efforts of Larry Carr, CEO of Carr and Associates,Inc. through its Sports and Entertainment Division," said both Kern and Nucci.

Carr & Associates, a local Tampa firm that represented Steve Spurrier for ten years when he was Head Coach at the University of Florida, brokered the transaction for Mr. Kern and Dr. Nucci.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from December 13, 2007


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