A Miami Beach sports attorney who worked on Marlins and Heat deals has died at 80

With an almost 104-degree fever and a diagnosis of congestive heart failure, Bob Caporale worked tirelessly at finishing up a business deal.

“Not for the money,” said his wife, Chris Powers, “but because he didn’t want to disappoint anyone. His work ethic was impeccable. That was our Bob, and he was our rock.”

An attorney and avid sportsman, Caporale parlayed his lifelong passion into a lucrative career, founding Game Plan LLC — an investment banking company for the sports industry — with business partner and former New England Patriots football player Randy Vataha.

A few days after finishing the deal while sick, Robert “Bob” Leo Caporale, known as “Cap,” died Jan. 8 at his home in Miami Beach. He was 80. His wife and stepsons Ryan and Tyler were by his side.

Caporale brokered countless sports deals, including a recent sale of a limited partner interest in the Miami Heat, and he was an attorney for the Florida Marlins in territorial claim arbitration proceedings.

“Bob loved putting people together, introducing a buyer to a seller and he loved closing a deal,” said attorney and friend Michael Arama. “I learned so much from Bob. He was a mentor, opening up the sports world to me. He introduced me to so many people, including sports commissioner David Stern.”

Business partner Vataha said Caporale was also a cherished, loyal friend, mentor and role model.

“We are heartbroken. ... I have so many Cap stories,” said Vataha, who has known Caporale for over 40 years.

Caporale was born April 12, 1941, in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, He graduated from the prestigious Boston Latin School and from Tufts University, where he briefly played football, and also from Boston College Law School.

Bob Caporale and Chris Powers, a former Miami Country Day School math teacher, were featured in a 2007 Miami Herald story about their romance that unfolded during their collective mourning of Bob’s wife Jeannie, Chris’ sister. Jeannie died in 2002 following a 17-year battle with brain and breast cancer.

“After Jeannie died, Bob and I stayed in touch. We kind of leaned on each other because she meant everything to us,” Powers said. “My sister told me to take care of Bob so that’s what I was doing. But when we went out on our neighbor’s boat and she started passing out sandwiches and I turned toward Bob and at the same time he turned toward me and it was as if Tinker Bell was sprinkling love dust on us. I just said, ‘Oh my God. I love this guy.’ It was just magical.”

In their interview in the Miami Herald 15 years ago, the two bantered about their unexpected romance:

Chris: “Nobody in my family ever talked to Bob. My mom was scared to death of him. It was painful to sit in the car with him because he didn’t talk. When I told Mom we were together, she said, ‘What, Mr. Personality?’ “

Bob: “There is clearly something wrong with me because I like to watch TV and drink beer.”

Just after he died, his wife wrote this: “He was quiet, very quiet. And gentle and brilliant and compassionate. And and and…”

In addition to his wife, Chris, Caporale is survived by stepsons Ryan and Tyler Wuerfel, and sister Barbara Hupprich of Marshfield, Mass.

Instead of flowers, contributions can be made to the Caporale Fund for Athletics at Boston Latin School, the Aiken County Animal Shelter, or Community Medical Clinic of Aiken County.

The family is not planning services because of COVID.

This story was originally published January 21, 2022 at 8:53 AM.