The Cubs Sale Thread

[Mizzou]

Didn't see it mentioned here, but this ESPN article says that Cuban is the high bidder at 1.3 billion.

[Outshined_One]

It's one thing to share an opinion. It's another thing to be insulting and condescending. That goes for everyone.

 

Keep this subject on topic, please.

[Amazing_Grace]

I'll actually be mildly surprised if Cuban doesn't put in the highest bid. Men like him tend to get what they want, and the Cubs are obviously something he wants very much. Now, whether that means he will own the Cubs is another question. I could see the powers that be in MLB quietly supplying cash to a competitor in order to keep him out of baseball.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

The ESPN article included this which had not been included in any of the previous reports...

 

John Canning, the chairman of private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners LLC, which had been treated as the front-runner, did not make the initial cut, according to the person, who said Tribune is not letting any bidder eliminated after the first round submit a new higher proposal in the second round.

[AlwaysaCub]

I'll actually be mildly surprised if Cuban doesn't put in the highest bid. Men like him tend to get what they want, and the Cubs are obviously something he wants very much. Now, whether that means he will own the Cubs is another question. I could see the powers that be in MLB quietly supplying cash to a competitor in order to keep him out of baseball.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3503599

 

Meanwhile, Comcast SportsNet has learned that Cuban is the highest bidder to buy the Cubs at $1.3 billion.

 

 

That's a huge bid. Huge.

[Amazing_Grace]

I'll actually be mildly surprised if Cuban doesn't put in the highest bid. Men like him tend to get what they want, and the Cubs are obviously something he wants very much. Now, whether that means he will own the Cubs is another question. I could see the powers that be in MLB quietly supplying cash to a competitor in order to keep him out of baseball.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3503599

 

Meanwhile, Comcast SportsNet has learned that Cuban is the highest bidder to buy the Cubs at $1.3 billion.

 

 

That's a huge bid. Huge.

 

And you never open with your best offer. It just means he is willing to go that much higher that that's where he started the bidding.

[shnsajax]

wow that's a bid that can eliminate other bidders who made it.

[CanadianCubbie]

I'm really hoping that Cuban buys the team.

 

Although he is controversial at times, no one can doubt he tries his best to get his team a championship.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Looks like Cuban was trying to blow all others out of the water early with that bid.

[nilodnayr]

Well, I guess the bottom line here is that you all believe whatever it is you want to believe. Including the fact that there will be some lawsuit if Cuban is the highest bid and not approved. I guess that little legal document he signed saying that he cannot hold MLB responsible in a court of law due to the anti trust exemption held by MLB means nothing to him.

 

I have seen too many of these sales up close and the shennanigans that go on to get the MLB preferred owner in place. I also know that if Zell wants to retain a small ownership interest to avoid six digit captial gains taxes that he will tow the line.

 

But what I do know, only worked there for 8 seasons. So no more from me. You all discuss and determine what will happen and I will keep my two cents to myself. Life is too short for such aggravation. =;

 

Anymore, this board is like beating yourself over the head with a hammer....feels SO good when you stop. :banghead:

 

 

Good ridance, no one likes a know-it-all snob anyway.

 

I think what he meant to say was "We understand you have actual experience with these guys. Obviously, that will affect your opinion of them, but we would like to know why you have those opinions. Could you please describe why you feel that why other than nebulous feelings that hes not responsible for the on the field product (duh, thats the GMs job) or off the field project (duh, the team has a long and storied history). What doesn't he understand? How does he treat front office people poorly? If you could enlighten us as to WHY you feel the way you do that would be a great addition. Thank you."

 

Also, hasnt there been a pretty big turnover in baseball ownership since the strike in 94? Arent there very few good old boys?

 

And, wouldn't the lawsuit come from the Tribune shareholders?

[USSoccer]

Also, how does working for the Cubs for 8 years make you privy to the sales of MLB teams?

[AlwaysaCub]

Well, I guess the bottom line here is that you all believe whatever it is you want to believe. Including the fact that there will be some lawsuit if Cuban is the highest bid and not approved. I guess that little legal document he signed saying that he cannot hold MLB responsible in a court of law due to the anti trust exemption held by MLB means nothing to him.

 

I have seen too many of these sales up close and the shennanigans that go on to get the MLB preferred owner in place. I also know that if Zell wants to retain a small ownership interest to avoid six digit captial gains taxes that he will tow the line.

 

But what I do know, only worked there for 8 seasons. So no more from me. You all discuss and determine what will happen and I will keep my two cents to myself. Life is too short for such aggravation. =;

 

Anymore, this board is like beating yourself over the head with a hammer....feels SO good when you stop. :banghead:

 

 

Good ridance, no one likes a know-it-all snob anyway.

 

I think what he meant to say was "We understand you have actual experience with these guys. Obviously, that will affect your opinion of them, but we would like to know why you have those opinions. Could you please describe why you feel that why other than nebulous feelings that hes not responsible for the on the field product (duh, thats the GMs job) or off the field project (duh, the team has a long and storied history). What doesn't he understand? How does he treat front office people poorly? If you could enlighten us as to WHY you feel the way you do that would be a great addition. Thank you."

 

Also, hasnt there been a pretty big turnover in baseball ownership since the strike in 94? Arent there very few good old boys?

 

And, wouldn't the lawsuit come from the Tribune shareholders?

 

You mean a lawsuit from Sam Zell I believe, and yes.

[B]

75% "yes" votes mean a minimum of 23 owners. I can't name one (besides Reinsdorf) who would absolutely vote no for a sale to Cuban.

What makes you so sure Reinsdorf would vote no? I'm not saying that he won't, but I don't know for sure. I've heard about him not wanting somebody who would upstage him even more than he already is, but I think I remember Cuban saying he talked with Jerry about buying the team and acted as if they got along.

[NCCubFan]

It's funny you left out any accomplishments of McFailure during his tenure with the Cubs. His record here speaks for itself...an utter disaster.

 

Yup, real clever and mature of you.

 

Very mature of me for stating facts? Are you arguing that his tenure was a success with the Cubs? What metric are you basing this on?

Perhaps based on the fact that the Cubs made the postseason twice during his tenure, which is equal to the number of times they made the postseason in over 50 years before then? I'm not saying his tenure was a complete success; there were good moments and bad moments. But to call him a complete failure is way off base.

[shnsajax]

Would a 1.3 billion sale raise every other franchise at least 10%?

[SouthSideRyan]

75% "yes" votes mean a minimum of 23 owners. I can't name one (besides Reinsdorf) who would absolutely vote no for a sale to Cuban.

What makes you so sure Reinsdorf would vote no? I'm not saying that he won't, but I don't know for sure. I've heard about him not wanting somebody who would upstage him even more than he already is, but I think I remember Cuban saying he talked with Jerry about buying the team and acted as if they got along.

 

Reinsdorf is the one pulling the strings on the fossilized used car salesman running baseball right now. You can barely even see Reinsdorf's lips moving these days. Rather skilled for an old man.

[Wilson A2000]

The ESPN article included this which had not been included in any of the previous reports...

 

John Canning, the chairman of private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners LLC, which had been treated as the front-runner, did not make the initial cut, according to the person, who said Tribune is not letting any bidder eliminated after the first round submit a new higher proposal in the second round.

 

So Canning could still get it?

[manbearcub]

The ESPN article included this which had not been included in any of the previous reports...

 

John Canning, the chairman of private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners LLC, which had been treated as the front-runner, did not make the initial cut, according to the person, who said Tribune is not letting any bidder eliminated after the first round submit a new higher proposal in the second round.

 

So Canning could still get it?

If that quote is correct, then no.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Interesting note here...

 

If Cubes bids $1.4 billion, $1.6 billion -- crazy money, but still a deal -- every franchise in MLB goes up at least $25 million in value.

 

Do you get it, Zell?

 

Does anybody?

 

Link.

[rocket]

It's funny you left out any accomplishments of McFailure during his tenure with the Cubs. His record here speaks for itself...an utter disaster.

 

Yup, real clever and mature of you.

 

Very mature of me for stating facts? Are you arguing that his tenure was a success with the Cubs? What metric are you basing this on?

Perhaps based on the fact that the Cubs made the postseason twice during his tenure, which is equal to the number of times they made the postseason in over 50 years before then? I'm not saying his tenure was a complete success; there were good moments and bad moments. But to call him a complete failure is way off base.

 

it also was a lot easier to make the playoffs during his tenure than it was the previous 50 seasons.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

It's funny you left out any accomplishments of McFailure during his tenure with the Cubs. His record here speaks for itself...an utter disaster.

 

Yup, real clever and mature of you.

 

Very mature of me for stating facts? Are you arguing that his tenure was a success with the Cubs? What metric are you basing this on?

 

Perhaps based on the fact that the Cubs made the postseason twice during his tenure, which is equal to the number of times they made the postseason in over 50 years before then? I'm not saying his tenure was a complete success; there were good moments and bad moments. But to call him a complete failure is way off base.

 

Terrible logic. First, the wild card didn't exist before MacPhail came to the Cubs. Second, are we supposed to be proud that the Cubs got to the playoffs twice in MacPhail's 12 year tenure? In an 8-team playoff format? In one of the biggest markets in the country? Not only was his tenure not a complete success, it was almost as close to a failure as possible given the resources he had available.

 

And no, the fact that he has world series rings under his belt with the twins does not mean a thing to me, or to almost any cubs fan (not directed at you NC, but to RedIvyCub, who thinks cubs fans should be impressed by his championships 17 and 21 years ago with another franchise.)

[Bobson Dugnutt]

Little perspective on the MacPhail tenure and how successful it was: teams that made the playoffs more times than the Cubs while MacPhail was in charge:

 

Rangers

Mets

Mariners

Angels

Braves

Yankees

Red Sox

Cardinals

Astros

Diamondbacks

Indians

Twins

Dodgers

Padres

Giants

 

Teams with an equal amount of playoff appearances in that time frame:

White Sox (1 world series win)

Marlins (2 world series wins)

Rockies (1 world series appearance)

Orioles

 

I did this very short hand and very quickly, so it may not be 100% accurate, but if it is, it doesn't make MacPhail's tenure look much like a success at all.

[C.C.]

They will also face one of the nastiest legal battles in recent history. If it turns out Cuban was the highest bidder, had secured all the financing he needed, and presented a realistic bid, but MLB shoots him down, the mess of lawsuits will be unholy. Zell has an army of lawyers. The Tribune's shareholders will have a heck of a case. Cuban, his minority buyers, and financiers also will have their pick of causes of action. If Congress gets involved, the backlash will be terrible for MLB.

 

MLB might have an old boys club, but they would get shredded in court if that happens. It could cost them billions of dollars.

 

Yes this. Zell will sell to the highest bidder period! He has incurred 8 billion in depth from buying the TRIB, he needs to maximize his value via assets or the TRIB will go belly-up. He doesn't care about any "good ole boys club". I'm thinking if Cuban is the higest bidder, Cuban will be the next Cubs owner. That's it!

[Wheelimus]

I think we're putting way too much stock into the "they won't sell to Cuban because he's controversial" theory. Baseball does not = Basketball. In the NBA it's easy for an owner to be just behind the sidelines. If he gets emotional and blows a gasket, easy to hear and see. At Wrigley he'd just be one of 38,000 or so blowing a gasket when Marquis sucks it up. Unless he made a point to sit in the front row right behind home plate, I don't think you'd ever even notice.

 

I think Mark knew that his way to MLB's heart was cold hard cash. If he buys the Cubs for 1.6 billion or something, every damn franchise in the game is worth a lot more money.

 

I think any owners worry about Cuban is worth far less than, say, 25 million dollars in equity.

[Derwood]

1 - GoCubsGo!'s pet nicknames for everyone he hates have never been funny. They add nothing to your argument and make you look twelve.

 

2 - I don't understand why you guys gang up on RedIvyCub every time she posts here. Is it because she tells you something you don't want to hear? How do you so casually dismiss the fact that she was working in the front office every day and maybe, just maybe, has a firmer grasp on the inner workings of baseball than you do? It's embarrassing how you guys treat her.