$14 Million More in the TRIB's Pocket

[CubbieRich]

With the completed sale of the Nationals, the Cubs will receive $14 Million this year. Of course the TRIB will put the money in their pocket, like they did for the increased revenues of added seating, internet broadcasts, etc.. The mother corporation is losing money and their stock is way down. According to my really wealthy Cubs fan friend on the North Shore, the team has been up for sale the last few months. An offer for $480 Million+ is on the table.

[Larry Horse]

Cubbie Rich, that's the best rumor/news I've heard all year. I hope your friend is right.

 

Any word on who put the offer in? I'm curious if it was the local guy who wanted to buy them last time.

 

I remember how happy I was when the Trib bought them. I thought there would be a couple of World Series titles by now. I was just a little bit off on that one.

 

That's why I shake my head when I hear Cub fans say "it could be worse". I'm not sure what could be worse than zero titles in 25 years.

[USSoccer]

Cubbie Rich, that's the best rumor/news I've heard all year. I hope your friend is right.

 

Any word on who put the offer in? I'm curious if it was the local guy who wanted to buy them last time.

 

I remember how happy I was when the Trib bought them. I thought there would be a couple of World Series titles by now. I was just a little bit off on that one.

 

That's why I shake my head when I hear Cub fans say "it could be worse". I'm not sure what could be worse than zero titles in 25 years.

 

A payroll cut from the $95-100m range down to $80-85m would be worse. If you couple a payroll drop with the incompetent management team (which was just extended), it would get worse to the point it would take a few years to recover.

[Larry Horse]

Cubbie Rich, that's the best rumor/news I've heard all year. I hope your friend is right.

 

Any word on who put the offer in? I'm curious if it was the local guy who wanted to buy them last time.

 

I remember how happy I was when the Trib bought them. I thought there would be a couple of World Series titles by now. I was just a little bit off on that one.

 

That's why I shake my head when I hear Cub fans say "it could be worse". I'm not sure what could be worse than zero titles in 25 years.

 

A payroll cut from the $95-100m range down to $80-85m would be worse. If you couple a payroll drop with the incompetent management team (which was just extended), it would get worse to the point it would take a few years to recover.

 

They've already dropped to the 90 million range. The White Sox have a higher payroll, which I never thought I would see in my lifetime. And who's to say the new owner wouldn't clean house?

 

And "it would take a few years to recover"? Recover from what? All those glory years the Cubs have provided us with? Zero for twenty five is a failure, plain and simple. Or am I the only one who thinks the Tribune reign has been a failure?

[E.J.]

Everytime I hear the rumor that the Cubs are for sale I salivate at the thought of Mark Cuban buying the team and cleaning house, bringing in management that actually value OBP. =P~

 

 

Of course with our luck the Trib would sell the Cubs to someone who drops the payroll to $60 million and is just about making money and not about winning. :x

[dalgreen]

I wouldn't mind a payroll of $80-$85 million with a GM who knew how to spend money wisely instead of a GM who just throws money around. An $80-$85 million payroll wouldn't allow for stupid contracts like Perez's and Jones'.

[Jehrico]

I wouldn't mind a payroll of $80-$85 million with a GM who knew how to spend money wisely instead of a GM who just throws money around. An $80-$85 million payroll wouldn't allow for stupid contracts like Perez's and Jones'.

Or Ruschs'

[neely crenshaw]

a payroll of 85 mil would be nice...if they were all on our team and on the field.....kerry wood jumps the payroll 12 mil a year...which could be gone next season.

[Jon]

With the completed sale of the Nationals, the Cubs will receive $14 Million this year. Of course the TRIB will put the money in their pocket, like they did for the increased revenues of added seating, internet broadcasts, etc.. The mother corporation is losing money and their stock is way down. According to my really wealthy Cubs fan friend on the North Shore, the team has been up for sale the last few months. An offer for $480 Million+ is on the table.

You have evidence that the added seats haven't contributed to player expenses and won't? And internet broadcasts? I really don't know where you're referring to there.

 

Let's not forget that the Trib will be paying the $40+ million bill on the Wrigley Field campus renovations and will not take any of that money out of the Cubs' payroll.

[BigbadB]

Why should the Trib throw more money onto a sinking ship? Each time they bump the budget more, they suck more.

 

The Yankees budget has ballooned ridiculously, and how many World Series victories has that brought them?

 

Honestly, this is not the Tribune's fault. Unless you want to blame them for not cleaning house when they should have. Hendry's recent extension is an absolute joke.

[UMFan83]

With the completed sale of the Nationals, the Cubs will receive $14 Million this year. Of course the TRIB will put the money in their pocket, like they did for the increased revenues of added seating, internet broadcasts, etc.. The mother corporation is losing money and their stock is way down. According to my really wealthy Cubs fan friend on the North Shore, the team has been up for sale the last few months. An offer for $480 Million+ is on the table.

You have evidence that the added seats haven't contributed to player expenses and won't? And internet broadcasts? I really don't know where you're referring to there.

 

Let's not forget that the Trib will be paying the $40+ million bill on the Wrigley Field campus renovations and will not take any of that money out of the Cubs' payroll.

 

Do we have proof? Besides that the payroll has dropped since last season. $40 million is nothing when its offset by 2,000 more seats sold per game, not to mention selling the naming rights to the bleachers, dropping payroll, Cubs garage sales, and raising ticket prices.

[Wilson A2000]

Why should the Trib throw more money onto a sinking ship? Each time they bump the budget more, they suck more.

 

The Yankees budget has ballooned ridiculously, and how many World Series victories has that brought them?

 

Honestly, this is not the Tribune's fault. Unless you want to blame them for not cleaning house when they should have. Hendry's recent extension is an absolute joke.

 

Fine then buy better, lower priced playes and bring the rookies up. Yes spending more doesn't mean a WS. Spending better does.

[LoneStarCubFan]

An $80-$85 million payroll wouldn't allow for stupid contracts like Perez's and Jones'.

 

Sure it would. Look at the Royals.

[Jon]

With the completed sale of the Nationals, the Cubs will receive $14 Million this year. Of course the TRIB will put the money in their pocket, like they did for the increased revenues of added seating, internet broadcasts, etc.. The mother corporation is losing money and their stock is way down. According to my really wealthy Cubs fan friend on the North Shore, the team has been up for sale the last few months. An offer for $480 Million+ is on the table.

You have evidence that the added seats haven't contributed to player expenses and won't? And internet broadcasts? I really don't know where you're referring to there.

 

Let's not forget that the Trib will be paying the $40+ million bill on the Wrigley Field campus renovations and will not take any of that money out of the Cubs' payroll.

 

Do we have proof? Besides that the payroll has dropped since last season. $40 million is nothing when its offset by 2,000 more seats sold per game, not to mention selling the naming rights to the bleachers, dropping payroll, Cubs garage sales, and raising ticket prices.

As of this point, I doubt they're that far ahead of last year's pace of ticket sales. And I think most of those things have gone into the payroll, although I doubt the garage sale produced anything that significant. The main things were ads, the bleacher naming rights (did they ever release what the terms were?), and ticket prices.

 

The official payroll rose from $87 million in 2005 to $94.8 million this year. In 2004, it was $90.5 million and in 2003, it was under $80 million. Of course, official payrolls aren't all that meaningful and don't really represent the available money or money being spent on players overall. The actual player expenses won't be known until next year, but here's the list from past years from Forbes:

 

2005 - $117 million

2004 - $106 million

2003 - $95 million

2002 - $89 million

 

 

I don't see anything wrong with that trend. The Cubs have the 7th highest payroll in the majors, 3rd in the NL, and 1st in the Central. When renovations can take place while the available money for payroll grows, and I think every indication points to that, that's a sign of a pretty decent owner.

 

The only major criticism of the Tribune Company I can think of is that they haven't fired MacPhail yet (who I wouldn't have as much of a problem with if he fired Hendry and brought in someone with a new philosophy, which may not be likely). The financial support is more than enough to win. They're maintaining Wrigley and keeping nearly half of the Cubs games on WGN (something that probably wouldn't happen with new ownership), too.

 

The role of ownership is to put management in a position to succeed. They've done that. Everything else falls on MacPhail and Hendry.

[MikeyLikesCubbies]

PLEASE let it be Mark Cuban. PLEASE!

[kente777]

PLEASE let it be Mark Cuban. PLEASE!

 

I'll second that. An owner who gets involved with the team and cares about winning.

[soccer10k]

PLEASE let it be Mark Cuban. PLEASE!

 

I'll second that. An owner who gets involved with the team and cares about winning.

 

Why does everybody think the Tribune Company doesn't care about winning? I'm sure they don't care as much as the fans but I bet winning does matter to them.

 

As for Cuban, why would he necessarily be a great owner? The last time I checked he has just raised the Mavericks pay roll and hasn't won an NBA title. Granted it's only been a few years, but what does he have to show for it? Everyone here wants a title and Cuban hasn't done that yet. I'm not saying he isn't a good owner, but under the criteria we are looking at (Championships), Cuban isn't fairing any better than the Tribune.

 

They've already dropped to the 90 million range. The White Sox have a higher payroll, which I never thought I would see in my lifetime. And who's to say the new owner wouldn't clean house?

 

And "it would take a few years to recover"? Recover from what? All those glory years the Cubs have provided us with? Zero for twenty five is a failure, plain and simple. Or am I the only one who thinks the Tribune reign has been a failure?

 

Why do we need such a high payroll? Like somebody else said, signing the right players is the most important thing. I don't think you can call the Tribune reign a failure for going 25 years without a World Series when the Cubs as a whole have gone 97 years without a World Series. Suddenly 25 doesn't seem that long.

[Banedon]

PLEASE let it be Mark Cuban. PLEASE!

 

Think they'd let him be in the dugout?? That'd be good times.

[Handlebar McSkullet]

The difference is Mark Cuban transformed one of the worst franchises in sports history(and I dont just mean losing, like the Cubs; I mean a franchise that no one cared about, with a dwindling fan base, and no history what so ever) into one of the most popular sports teams in american sports, by using logic in personal moves and devotion to winning. He brings to the table what george steinbrenner does, and regardless of whether the yankees have won a world series or not lately, the fact is that they will forever be a factor. The yankees and the mav will always be involved in the postseason, and will decide on the outcome of each season no matter what. That is the difference between cuban and the trib. No the trib is not the worst owners in mlb like kevin mcclatchy or what ever (family site) is running the royals; but they do not demand winning, and that is the difference.

[Banedon]

As for Cuban, why would he necessarily be a great owner? The last time I checked he has just raised the Mavericks pay roll and hasn't won an NBA title. Granted it's only been a few years, but what does he have to show for it? Everyone here wants a title and Cuban hasn't done that yet. I'm not saying he isn't a good owner, but under the criteria we are looking at (Championships), Cuban isn't fairing any better than the Tribune.

 

Winning isn't easy. But Cuban is a "fan's owner" if there ever was one, and he would be an owner with an actual interest in the team's success. He'd been an enthusiastic, active owner, and that's easy to get behind. The Mavericks were a bad, bad team back in the Jordan days, and Cuban has really helped that team rise from the ashes. And if nothing else, the Mavericks are consistently competitive. Making the playoffs every year could be fun change.

[goonys evil twin]

He brings to the table what george steinbrenner does, and regardless of whether the yankees have won a world series or not lately, the fact is that they will forever be a factor. The yankees and the mav will always be involved in the postseason, and will decide on the outcome of each season no matter what.

 

How do you explain the 80's, and early 90's? I don't see the point in using such absolutes. It's not remotely true.

[badgercub]

He brings to the table what george steinbrenner does, and regardless of whether the yankees have won a world series or not lately, the fact is that they will forever be a factor. The yankees and the mav will always be involved in the postseason, and will decide on the outcome of each season no matter what.

 

How do you explain the 80's, and early 90's? I don't see the point in using such absolutes. It's not remotely true.

 

and really, how difficult is it to make the NBA playoffs? I wouldn't exactly call that a great accomplishment. Have the Mavs made it to the conference finals even? Cuban has done a lot to revive that franchise but making the playoffs in the NBA is quite different than doing it in MLB.

[CubfaninCA]

hopefully they're not selling to another huge corporation.

 

I'd like to see Cuban buy them. I like that he has finally kinda moved out the way in Dallas. Perhaps he'd hire DePodesta as GM.

[soccer10k]

He brings to the table what george steinbrenner does, and regardless of whether the yankees have won a world series or not lately, the fact is that they will forever be a factor. The yankees and the mav will always be involved in the postseason, and will decide on the outcome of each season no matter what.

 

How do you explain the 80's, and early 90's? I don't see the point in using such absolutes. It's not remotely true.

 

and really, how difficult is it to make the NBA playoffs? I wouldn't exactly call that a great accomplishment. Have the Mavs made it to the conference finals even? Cuban has done a lot to revive that franchise but making the playoffs in the NBA is quite different than doing it in MLB.

 

That's an excellent point. They made it to the conference finals in the 2002-2003 season. But that's it. Every other year they lost earlier. If you took the top 8 in the NL, the Cubs would have made the playoffs in 2001 and 2004. That would mean 3 playoff appearances in 5 years and who knows what would have happened in the playoffs. The Dallas Mavericks have been slightly better than the Minnesota Timberwolves have been in the regard that the Mavs make it to the second round before losing and the T-Wolves lose in the first round.

[CubfaninCA]

He brings to the table what george steinbrenner does, and regardless of whether the yankees have won a world series or not lately, the fact is that they will forever be a factor. The yankees and the mav will always be involved in the postseason, and will decide on the outcome of each season no matter what.

 

How do you explain the 80's, and early 90's? I don't see the point in using such absolutes. It's not remotely true.

 

and really, how difficult is it to make the NBA playoffs? I wouldn't exactly call that a great accomplishment. Have the Mavs made it to the conference finals even? Cuban has done a lot to revive that franchise but making the playoffs in the NBA is quite different than doing it in MLB.

 

yep, think they made it in 2004 and iirc dirk got hurt. they've been a top 6 team for quite some time, and could make the finals this year.