Who should we root to become the Cubs owner?

[Gmoney08]

It looks like we may finally find out soon.

 

It also looks like its not going to be Cuban who was most fans favorite.

 

If Cuban is out of the running, who should we root for?

 

Does anybody have any idea who would be willing to spend more out of whose left?

 

Does anybody have any feelings on who would not be willing to spend as much on the team?

 

Who are you rooting for?

[SweetZombieJesus]

John Canning

[KingCubsFan]

John Canning

He's a Sox fan

[RedFlash]

John Canning

He's a Sox fan

 

And a Selig "yes man."

[Irrelevant Dude]

John Canning

He's a Sox fan

If I were a Coke fan and bought the Pepsi company, I would probably convert to a Pepsi fan pretty quickly.

[Tyrant]

John Canning

 

Why?

[Outshined_One]

Whoever has the most money available to spend and isn't an idiot.

[KingCubsFan]

John Canning

He's a Sox fan

If I were a Coke fan and bought the Pepsi company, I would probably convert to a Pepsi fan pretty quickly.

Bad comparison. Unless you're one of those Coke drinkers that devotes hours a day to the cause...

[CubinNY]

John Canning

He's a Sox fan

If I were a Coke fan and bought the Pepsi company, I would probably convert to a Pepsi fan pretty quickly.

Bad comparison. Unless you're one of those Coke drinkers that devotes hours a day to the cause...

whomever buys the Cubs will be a fan. I think we have to hope that whoever he/she/they are, are smart enough to hire people who aren't mired in traditional baseball thinking after Hendry is gone.

[SouthSideRyan]

Whoever's nicest to RIC.

[Clem Fandango]

No one will spend close to $1 billion dollars to buy a baseball organization only to sabotage them from the inside and watch them fail and financially collapse in the name of helping out their real favorite team

[Omar]

No one will spend close to $1 billion dollars to buy a baseball organization only to sabotage them from the inside and watch them fail and financially collapse in the name of helping out their real favorite team

 

a sox fan would.

[KingCubsFan]

No one will spend close to $1 billion dollars to buy a baseball organization only to sabotage them from the inside and watch them fail and financially collapse in the name of helping out their real favorite team

 

a sox fan would.

That's not what I meant. I want someone who understands the Cubs and their fans and isn't just in it from a business perspective

[Tyrant]

No one will spend close to $1 billion dollars to buy a baseball organization only to sabotage them from the inside and watch them fail and financially collapse in the name of helping out their real favorite team

 

a sox fan would.

That's not what I meant. I want someone who understands the Cubs and their fans and isn't just in it from a business perspective

 

Someone who spends $1 billion on anything is going to be doing it from a business perspective.

 

Also, how would an owner work to "understand" Cubs fans, and how would that understanding make him a better owner?

[KingCubsFan]

No one will spend close to $1 billion dollars to buy a baseball organization only to sabotage them from the inside and watch them fail and financially collapse in the name of helping out their real favorite team

 

a sox fan would.

That's not what I meant. I want someone who understands the Cubs and their fans and isn't just in it from a business perspective

 

Someone who spends $1 billion on anything is going to be doing it from a business perspective.

 

Also, how would an owner work to "understand" Cubs fans, and how would that understanding make him a better owner?

Depends on what you mean by business perspective. A straight business person would probably never buy a sports team today. In terms of profit generation, the Cubs aren't a very good investment at 900 million/1 billion. Sports franchises obtain their value more from the buyers (i.e. someone is willing to pay a premium just to own a sports team). So basically I'm saying I don't want someone to own the team who bought it just because they want to own a big sports team. If given the choice, I'd rather have someone who bought the Cubs because they want the Cubs to win, and it hurts them just as much as fans when they lose. Not really a big deal (and Canning might very well be the best candidate), just my personal preference.

[CubFanPhilly]

Root for anyone who doesn't have to borrow to acquire the team. Most owners run their franchises on a cash-neutral basis. Debt service crowds out potential payroll.

[KingCubsFan]

Root for anyone who doesn't have to borrow to acquire the team. Most owners run their franchises on a cash-neutral basis. Debt service crowds out potential payroll.

Everyone who wants to buy the Cubs has to borrow because of the Tribune

[Outshined_One]

Root for anyone who doesn't have to borrow to acquire the team. Most owners run their franchises on a cash-neutral basis. Debt service crowds out potential payroll.

Everyone who wants to buy the Cubs has to borrow because of the Tribune

 

No one's lending in the amounts needed to acquire the Cubs.

[KingCubsFan]

Root for anyone who doesn't have to borrow to acquire the team. Most owners run their franchises on a cash-neutral basis. Debt service crowds out potential payroll.

Everyone who wants to buy the Cubs has to borrow because of the Tribune

 

No one's lending in the amounts needed to acquire the Cubs.

Which is why the Tribune is willing to keep such a large piece of the team

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Someone who spends $1 billion on anything is going to be doing it from a business perspective.

 

Also, how would an owner work to "understand" Cubs fans, and how would that understanding make him a better owner?

 

Cubs fans, like all sports fans, think they have an identifying feature that makes them distinct from all the other sports fans out there.

 

Understand that, and exploit it, and you can be a beloved owner.

[Outshined_One]

Root for anyone who doesn't have to borrow to acquire the team. Most owners run their franchises on a cash-neutral basis. Debt service crowds out potential payroll.

Everyone who wants to buy the Cubs has to borrow because of the Tribune

 

No one's lending in the amounts needed to acquire the Cubs.

Which is why the Tribune is willing to keep such a large piece of the team

 

I seriously think that is such a bad idea, though. If Zell's going to hang onto a substantial portion of the Cubs, who the heck would want to buy into the team if they're either getting a share that's either in the minority or in the bare majority? That would substantially interfere with the new owner exerting much control over the team since that would involve inevitable conflicts with the Tribune, especially over things like budgeting.

[mcgoobs]

I seriously think that is such a bad idea, though. If Zell's going to hang onto a substantial portion of the Cubs, who the heck would want to buy into the team if they're either getting a share that's either in the minority or in the bare majority? That would substantially interfere with the new owner exerting much control over the team since that would involve inevitable conflicts with the Tribune, especially over things like budgeting.

 

They would likely be able to differentiate between economic shares - which would be allocated between dollars invested - and voting shares - which would be used to make significant decisions about the organization. A new owner would push to have a larger percentage of the voting shares if Zell is to hold on to some ownership of the company for tax or any other reasons.