Cuban on PTI

[AlwaysaCub]

Mark Cuban was just the "5 good minutes" guest on PTI. They spoke most of the time on the Mavericks, but Wilbon's last question was, "Are you going to buy the Cubs?"

 

Cuban responded basically with, "I think the Trib, as a publicly traded company, are doing the right thing by exploring their options." He then went on to say that he has made contract about those interested in buying the entire Tribune company and has expressed interest in the Cubs should the new owner want to spin the Cubs off. Wilbon looked very, very happy.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Let me just reiterate that I would love for Cuban to buy the Cubs!

[sunnydoo]

Ya, but Cuban will have to outbid 5 other groups though. And i just dont think he has the capital to outbid the Wrigley Family and several others.

 

Did he say anything about the Donald? Thought it was hysterical last month when Trump called him one of the biggest losers in sports.

[Banedon]

Let me just reiterate that I would love for Cuban to buy the Cubs!

 

QFT

[ZMovieman]

Ya, but Cuban will have to outbid 5 other groups though. And i just dont think he has the capital to outbid the Wrigley Family and several others.

 

Did he say anything about the Donald? Thought it was hysterical last month when Trump called him one of the biggest losers in sports.

 

The impression I got from that bit was that he would only buy the Cubs from whoever bought the entire Tribune Co. Smart decision on his part to look into that option, since it seems the Tribune will be sold as one big chunk. So look for Cuban to attempt to buy the Cubs from whoever buys the whole Trib Co.

[CubinNY]

Ya, but Cuban will have to outbid 5 other groups though. And i just dont think he has the capital to outbid the Wrigley Family and several others.

 

Did he say anything about the Donald? Thought it was hysterical last month when Trump called him one of the biggest losers in sports.

 

The impression I got from that bit was that he would only buy the Cubs from whoever bought the entire Tribune Co. Smart decision on his part to look into that option, since it seems the Tribune will be sold as one big chunk. So look for Cuban to attempt to buy the Cubs from whoever buys the whole Trib Co.

 

The problem with that idea is that the Cubs are the only asset that generates significanlty more income than it costs to prodiuce the product.

 

That's why the Tribune Company wants to sell the Cubs with the Trib.

 

It's like making a team take a bad contract for getting a good player. The team will not sell the good player without the other team taking back the bad contract.

 

I cannot see whomever buys the trib selling the Cubs. They are a cash cow. The rest is just a loss leader. It's Walmart 101.

[Yeti]

cuban might buy the cubs second hand, but its a couple years off....get over it

[sunnydoo]

cuban might buy the cubs second hand, but its a couple years off....get over it

 

Still he doesnt have the Billion + its going to take to outbid 5 different groups. Why sell to Cuban when you can get more money elsewhere?

 

And if Murdoch even thinks about buying the Trib.....i may be going to prison for a very long time.

[snoodmonger]

Ya, but Cuban will have to outbid 5 other groups though. And i just dont think he has the capital to outbid the Wrigley Family and several others.

 

Did he say anything about the Donald? Thought it was hysterical last month when Trump called him one of the biggest losers in sports.

 

The impression I got from that bit was that he would only buy the Cubs from whoever bought the entire Tribune Co. Smart decision on his part to look into that option, since it seems the Tribune will be sold as one big chunk. So look for Cuban to attempt to buy the Cubs from whoever buys the whole Trib Co.

 

The problem with that idea is that the Cubs are the only asset that generates significanlty more income than it costs to prodiuce the product.

 

That's why the Tribune Company wants to sell the Cubs with the Trib.

 

It's like making a team take a bad contract for getting a good player. The team will not sell the good player without the other team taking back the bad contract.

 

I cannot see whomever buys the trib selling the Cubs. They are a cash cow. The rest is just a loss leader. It's Walmart 101.

 

well, those la billionaires have already stated they'd spin the rest of the assets (inlcuding the cubs) and just keep the times.

 

I think Cuban could get it done. And I bet his ego loves the fact so many Cubs fans view him as "the savior."

[Jehrico]

There's nothing that says Cuban can't get a couple of other interested groups to go in up to 49% with him to increase his bid either.

[C.C.]

Mark Cuban was just the "5 good minutes" guest on PTI. They spoke most of the time on the Mavericks, but Wilbon's last question was, "Are you going to buy the Cubs?"

 

Cuban responded basically with, "I think the Trib, as a publicly traded company, are doing the right thing by exploring their options." He then went on to say that he has made contract about those interested in buying the entire Tribune company and has expressed interest in the Cubs should the new owner want to spin the Cubs off. Wilbon looked very, very happy.

 

The other owners would never allow Cuban to buy any team. Baseball is far to conservative for a person like him...

[RynoRules]

Let me just reiterate that I would love for Cuban to buy the Cubs!

 

QFT

 

QFT to the second power.

[CubinNY]

 

well, those la billionaires have already stated they'd spin the rest of the assets (inlcuding the cubs) and just keep the times.

Then they're bad businessmen. The LA times is a horrible business opportunity as a stand alone product. There is little growth potential in print media.

[satxcubfan]

My avatar expresses my feelings regarding this topic!

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Mark Cuban was just the "5 good minutes" guest on PTI. They spoke most of the time on the Mavericks, but Wilbon's last question was, "Are you going to buy the Cubs?"

 

Cuban responded basically with, "I think the Trib, as a publicly traded company, are doing the right thing by exploring their options." He then went on to say that he has made contract about those interested in buying the entire Tribune company and has expressed interest in the Cubs should the new owner want to spin the Cubs off. Wilbon looked very, very happy.

 

The other owners would never allow Cuban to buy any team. Baseball is far to conservative for a person like him...

 

They let Murdoch buy the Dodgers. They already have Steinbrenner. The owners won't object if he has the money.

[Elrhino]

As someone who made his money in math/science, the first thing Cuban did when he bought the Mavs is hire a team of statisticians to revolutionize basketball stats. For example, every team charts 3 pt.%, but Cuban's statisticians broke down 3 pointers from the different areas behind the arc. They found that San Antonio shoots a very good overall 3 point percentage, but when they broke it down the Spurs shoot great from the corners and straight ahead, but shot 3 pointers poorly from the angles. So they started focusing on guarding the perimeter baseline and the top of the key, giving the Spurs the angle shots and the Spurs shot below their typical 3 pt. average in head to head matchups ever since.

[Balsa]

 

well, those la billionaires have already stated they'd spin the rest of the assets (inlcuding the cubs) and just keep the times.

Then they're bad businessmen. The LA times is a horrible business opportunity as a stand alone product. There is little growth potential in print media.

Newspaper companies have a higher rate of profit than many big companies, including Microsoft.

[snoodmonger]

 

well, those la billionaires have already stated they'd spin the rest of the assets (inlcuding the cubs) and just keep the times.

Then they're bad businessmen. The LA times is a horrible business opportunity as a stand alone product. There is little growth potential in print media.

 

yeah, i'm sure those 2 billionaires are bad businessmen.

[sunnydoo]

Newspaper companies have a higher rate of profit than many big companies, including Microsoft.

 

That is a misconception.

 

There is a product curve that business is based upon. Newspapers may at this point still be somewhat profitable- however, the industry is declining. So while you may have higher profit yields, you see declining growth and eventually sales. Eventually this trend catches up and you see a cash crisis or a sustained period of losses until the product has its life cycle ended.

 

To put it another way, newspapers are going from cash cows to dogs.

[CubinNY]

 

well, those la billionaires have already stated they'd spin the rest of the assets (inlcuding the cubs) and just keep the times.

Then they're bad businessmen. The LA times is a horrible business opportunity as a stand alone product. There is little growth potential in print media.

 

yeah, i'm sure those 2 billionaires are bad businessmen.

 

Or you are mistaken.

[snoodmonger]

 

well, those la billionaires have already stated they'd spin the rest of the assets (inlcuding the cubs) and just keep the times.

Then they're bad businessmen. The LA times is a horrible business opportunity as a stand alone product. There is little growth potential in print media.

 

yeah, i'm sure those 2 billionaires are bad businessmen.

 

Or you are mistaken.

 

I can't find the article that orginally said they'd spin the other asstes, but this was in the original AP report.

 

http://www.examiner.com/a-388360~L_A__Billionaires_Bid_to_Buy_Tribune_Co_.html

 

If the two are successful, not only would the Tribune's flagship paper, the Chicago Tribune, be owned by a Los Angeles company, but Burkle and Broad would also become the owners of the Chicago Cubs baseball team.

 

But a more likely scenario is that the two would break up the media conglomerate that owns 11 newspapers and 25 television stations as well as the Cubs.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

As someone who made his money in math/science, the first thing Cuban did when he bought the Mavs is hire a team of statisticians to revolutionize basketball stats. For example, every team charts 3 pt.%, but Cuban's statisticians broke down 3 pointers from the different areas behind the arc. They found that San Antonio shoots a very good overall 3 point percentage, but when they broke it down the Spurs shoot great from the corners and straight ahead, but shot 3 pointers poorly from the angles. So they started focusing on guarding the perimeter baseline and the top of the key, giving the Spurs the angle shots and the Spurs shot below their typical 3 pt. average in head to head matchups ever since.

 

Is that what foward thinking is?

 

Sorry, I've been a Cubs fan so long I forgot what it is.

[garsky]

Ya, but Cuban will have to outbid 5 other groups though. And i just dont think he has the capital to outbid the Wrigley Family and several others.

 

Did he say anything about the Donald? Thought it was hysterical last month when Trump called him one of the biggest losers in sports.

 

The impression I got from that bit was that he would only buy the Cubs from whoever bought the entire Tribune Co. Smart decision on his part to look into that option, since it seems the Tribune will be sold as one big chunk. So look for Cuban to attempt to buy the Cubs from whoever buys the whole Trib Co.

 

The problem with that idea is that the Cubs are the only asset that generates significanlty more income than it costs to prodiuce the product.

 

That's why the Tribune Company wants to sell the Cubs with the Trib.

 

It's like making a team take a bad contract for getting a good player. The team will not sell the good player without the other team taking back the bad contract.

 

I cannot see whomever buys the trib selling the Cubs. They are a cash cow. The rest is just a loss leader. It's Walmart 101.

 

Ah, the power of ignorance. Repeat a lie long enough and it becomes truth.

 

If you actually checked the balance sheet, you'd note that in 2005 Tribune Co. had $1.15 billion in profits, on $5.60 billion in revenues, for a 20.5% profit margin--no chump change, that. Of that profit, only $33.4 million -- roughly a third -- was from the radio/entertainment sector, which includes the Cubs. Revenue for that sector was $248 million, which gave the Trib a 13.4% profit margin.

 

So, in reality, profit margins for TribCo's OTHER divisions are HIGHER that that of the Cubs.

 

The reason why the Cubs are such a valuable part of TribCo have more to with the value of the asset when SOLD, and the prestige of owning a very rare commodity.

 

If I may jump on my soapbox, the reason TribCo is perceived as being in trouble is because newspapers are seen as a dying breed, and the market insists on 20% profit margins for them nonetheless.

[CubinNY]

Ya, but Cuban will have to outbid 5 other groups though. And i just dont think he has the capital to outbid the Wrigley Family and several others.

 

Did he say anything about the Donald? Thought it was hysterical last month when Trump called him one of the biggest losers in sports.

 

The impression I got from that bit was that he would only buy the Cubs from whoever bought the entire Tribune Co. Smart decision on his part to look into that option, since it seems the Tribune will be sold as one big chunk. So look for Cuban to attempt to buy the Cubs from whoever buys the whole Trib Co.

 

The problem with that idea is that the Cubs are the only asset that generates significanlty more income than it costs to prodiuce the product.

 

That's why the Tribune Company wants to sell the Cubs with the Trib.

 

It's like making a team take a bad contract for getting a good player. The team will not sell the good player without the other team taking back the bad contract.

 

I cannot see whomever buys the trib selling the Cubs. They are a cash cow. The rest is just a loss leader. It's Walmart 101.

 

Ah, the power of ignorance. Repeat a lie long enough and it becomes truth.

 

If you actually checked the balance sheet, you'd note that in 2005 Tribune Co. had $1.15 billion in profits, on $5.60 billion in revenues, for a 20.5% profit margin--no chump change, that. Of that profit, only $33.4 million -- roughly a third -- was from the radio/entertainment sector, which includes the Cubs. Revenue for that sector was $248 million, which gave the Trib a 13.4% profit margin.

 

So, in reality, profit margins for TribCo's OTHER divisions are HIGHER that that of the Cubs.

 

The reason why the Cubs are such a valuable part of TribCo have more to with the value of the asset when SOLD, and the prestige of owning a very rare commodity.

 

If I may jump on my soapbox, the reason TribCo is perceived as being in trouble is because newspapers are seen as a dying breed, and the market insists on 20% profit margins for them nonetheless.

 

The Trib is not percieved as being in trouble, it is in trouble.

 

Trib 2 year graph

 

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=TRB&t=2y&l=on&z=m&q=l&c=

 

You probably don't own much stock in Gannett or other major newspaper companies

 

Gannett 2 year graph

 

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=GCI&t=2y&l=on&z=m&q=l&c=

 

Article on Newspaper market in general

 

http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/03/14/newspaper-stock-and-the-paper-its-printed-on

 

The only way for newspapers to make money is to focus on other media such as the internet or broadcasting to generate profits.

 

I agree, the only reason why someone who bought the Trib lock-stock-and-barrel would sell the Cubs is the value of the sold asset. They'd make a killing. But they'd be left with the LA times, an asset that is hardly worth keeping as a stand alone.