wolves owner wants to buy the cubs

by china423 on Nov 11, 2006 8:13 PM CST

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/cs-061111downey,1,6926367.column?coll=cs-c ubs-utility

what do you guys think about this?
what do you guys think about this?
what do you guys think about this?
what do you guys think about this?
what do you guys think about this?
what do you guys think about this?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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That sounds beautiful.

He's a Cubs fan and that's a big plus. He's a sports guy(and already owns a team), so that's a plus. He's from around here, so that's a plus. But most importantly, he says he wants to win.

Anybody know of any flaws he would have? Because he seriously sounds terrific to me. He could always be lying too, so who knows.

by sparkles721 on Nov 11, 2006 8:43 PM CST reply actions

The only flaw he has....

is something that is out of his control. And that's the fact that he would be doing business with the Tribune. This guy would obviously be the perfect owner, and anyone from the Trib has to know that. Therefore, they will sell to anyone other than this guy simply to spite the same Cubs Nation that they have let down over the last 25 years.

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Nov 11, 2006 8:48 PM CST reply actions

Conspiracy theories

aside if he can pony up a good amount of money, won't matter, Tribco needs $$.

TRAMMELL!

by Faith plus 1 on Nov 11, 2006 11:21 PM CST up reply actions

He

doesn't have the money. He's just trying to get his name in the paper.

He's not on the Forbes 400 list, which means he's worth less than a billion dollars. And he's claiming he can plunk down $650 million to buy the Cubs? Maybe he could put a consortium together, but that's not what he's claiming. He's claiming he can get the money, by himself, in 90 days. BS.

A quick google search finds references to him owning the Wolves. Nothing in the financial press. Now I'm sure that if I spent more than two minutes looking, I'd find something. But that doesn't indicate to me that he's floating around 800-900 million in assets. Frank McCourt's probably got more money than this guy, and McCourt's having trouble making ends meet with the Dodgers. (He defaulted on his loans and his Boston land was taken.) And the Dodgers only cost $430 million.

Just as a note, both Arte Moreno and Ted Lerner are on Forbes list. Those are the type of owners MLB would approve. The only reason McCourt was allowed to buy the Dodgers was because it was NewsCorp that was selling, and MLB doesn't talk back to NewsCorp much.

Oh, one more thing. MLB doesn't approve of owners who talk to the press before buying. That's why the Lerners got the Nationals.

This is a complete publicity stunt. Eli Broad and Ron Burkle are much better bets to buy the Cubs (as well as the whole Tribune Corporation). Not local owners, but disgustingly rich and sports fans.

by Josh Timmers on Nov 12, 2006 1:24 AM CST reply actions

Agreed.

It strikes me that if Broad and Burkle did indeed buy the entire Tribune Co., and thus the Cubs, they would probably install a local person (maybe even John McDonough) as the team president, to give the club a "local owner" presence.

by Al Yellon on Nov 12, 2006 9:08 AM CST up reply actions

If they do buy the Trib

they would sell off the Cubs. They aren't going to buy the Tribune Co. either is my guess.

by cubswin on Nov 12, 2006 10:50 AM CST up reply actions

I disagree with...

... both of your points.

These two men can CLEARLY afford to buy the entire Tribune Co. Yes, they primarily want it to get the LA Times back to "local" ownership.

But once they got the Cubs -- who are the "prize" of buying Tribco -- I doubt they'd sell.

by Al Yellon on Nov 12, 2006 10:57 AM CST up reply actions

They will sell off all the parts

The cost of the Trib is estimated at 15 BILLION ( including
5 billion in dept)and nobody has that much too spare and these
guys are not even close. They would need to put a LOT
of financing together and would immediatly sell of parts
for the debt. I doubt they will do that anyway. This is
just a way to put pressure on the Trib to sell them the
L.A Times which I wish they Trib wouldl do an make them
pay through the nose for it

I love the ballpark. I love the city. I love the fans. Aside from how we've played this year, there's nothing not to like about Chicago." Greg Maddux 7/29/06

by jessica on Nov 12, 2006 12:14 PM CST up reply actions

Sure

but I think they'd sell off Newsday, the Baltimore and Orlando papers and the share of Food Network before they'd sell off the Cubs.

These guys are sports fans. Burkle is a part-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and nobody is a part-owner of the Penguins unless they love sports. I can't see these guys selling off one of the crown jewels of sports.

I think Al's right. If Broad and Burkle buy the Tribune, they'll keep the Cubs and install someone local like McDonough to run things.

by Josh Timmers on Nov 12, 2006 1:44 PM CST up reply actions