Marlins to be sold?

[Frayed Knot]

Forbes says

"Two sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that Miami Marlins president David Samson has said that there is a $1.6 billion "handshake agreement" for the MLB team."

The buyer is reportedly an unnamed "New York real estate developer" but is one whose assets are mostly tied up in his holdings and therefore might not meet the debt/liquidity requirements that MLB wants to see.
Jeffrey Loria purchased the team in 2002 for $158 million. The team generates a small income from both local media and paying attendance (dead last in the NL four years running), but the new, publicly financed stadium has to be an attraction for any potential buyers.

[Ceetar]

yeah, because Loria honors handshake agreements?

Why is Trump trying to buy the Marlins and is that legal?

[Guest d'Kong76]

Ceetar wrote: Why is Trump trying to buy the Marlins and is that legal?

That's the first think I quipped in my head.
The second this was he'll sign an Executive Order making it legal and great.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It would be funny (and sad) were it David Einhorn with a mission to destroy Fred for scuttling his deal.

[MFS62]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: It would be funny (and sad) were it David Einhorn with a mission to destroy Fred for scuttling his deal.

"New York Real Estate Developer"
Can the Wilpons own two teams?

Later

[nymr83]

Ceetar wrote: yeah, because Loria honors handshake agreements? Why is Trump trying to buy the Marlins and is that legal?

He decided America has been made great again and its time to move on an face new challenges.

[Frayed Knot]

Why is Trump trying to buy the Marlins and is that legal?

Not too far off it turns out as further reports identify Jared Kushner's father as the potential buyer (or at least A potential buyer). There are, however, several things which might make that a bit problematic.

Bloomberg News: Charles Kushner has a criminal record -- in 2005 he was convicted of witness tampering, illegal campaign contributions and tax evasion -- which would probably keep him from being approved as a principal owner of a Major League Baseball team. Jared’s position in the White House would likely keep him from buying the team as well.

Of course that whole campaign contribution illegalities -- and the subsequent pressuring of witnesses to lie about it -- never seemed to affect Steinbrenner's ownership although it was the cause of the first of his several suspensions.

[Theoldmole]

Does this mean we'll get KellyAnne Conway urging everyone to go to Marlins games?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think it means that Ivanka will be selling them the uniforms.

And the team color will be orange and the caps will look like birds nests.

[MFS62]

New reports say the bid was submitted by a member of the Kushner family corporation , but not Jared (the advisor)or his dad (the criminal).
Later

[ashie62]

1.6 billion seems a bit much for this piece of doo-doo.

[Edgy MD]

Oh, I believe it.

What other industry gives you territorial exclusivity and an antitrust exemption? Franchises have crazy value. Even the Padres. Even the Rays.

I wonder which one Jeffrey Loria will move to mess up next.

[nymr83]

there is also the joy of being an owner, which may have no price for some rich folks.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

You either buy a team as a vanity item or because-- like we were-- you're hooked on the stuff. Antitrust exemption or no, it's far from the most efficient way to turn some money into more money.

Also, the flying-dolphin sculpture is... one of a kind.

[Frayed Knot]

Forbes recently valued the Marlins at $675 million, the second least valuable franchise in MLB so that alone raises eyebrows at the reported $1.6-$1.7 billion dollar figure being floated. On
the other hand Steve Ballmer's (2015?) purchase of the LA Clippers for [u:24p083tn]$2 Billion[/u:24p083tn] seemed to be the kind of 'vanity' purchase by the former Microsoft CEO where ego gets in the way of
smart valuation.

[Edgy MD]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: You either buy a team as a vanity item or because-- like we were-- you're hooked on the stuff. Antitrust exemption or no, it's far from the most efficient way to turn some money into more money.

Efficient? Maybe not, but I would bet that it's one of the more secure. Franchise sale prices have outstripped their alleged valuations for decades, and their valuation appreciation is continually impressive. And they are pretty much firewalled against failure.

[Guest 41Forever]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: You either buy a team as a vanity item or because-- like we were-- you're hooked on the stuff. Antitrust exemption or no, it's far from the most efficient way to turn some money into more money. Also, the flying-dolphin sculpture is... one of a kind.

I love the flying marlin sculpture!

I like it when ballparks have distinguishing features, like our apple, the ivy at Wrigley, the Liberty Bell in Philly. The decades of the cookie-cutters made too many ballparks indistinguishable.

[TransMonk]

Edgy MD wrote: I wonder which one Jeffrey Loria will move to mess up next.

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria reportedly in line to be Trump's ambassador to France

[Edgy MD]

Somebody slap me the next time I make a Jeffrey Loria joke.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: Somebody slap me the next time I make a Jeffrey Loria joke.

you son of a silly person I blow my nose at you

[Frayed Knot]

A report by 'Fox Business' talks about three groups potentially vying for future Marlins ownership. One group is being fronted by former FLA Governor Jeb Bush and another by Derek Jeter.
A potential third bidder remains unnamed.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2017/04/05/jeter-jeb-bush-among-billion-dollar-bidders-for-battered-marlins.html

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

In case you didn't already hate the Marlins enough.

[ashie62]

This Jeter guy just doesn't go away.

[bmfc1]

Bush, Jeter, throw a Trump in there and the Marlins will rival the MFYs and WSH in my eyes.

[batmagadanleadoff]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: In case you didn't already hate the Marlins enough.

I have a secret crush on this team. If I was working with a clean slate, I might've made the Marlins my favorite team. It was the re-branding. The new unis. The ditching of "Florida" for "Miami". Miami's cool. Florida, as far as I'm concerned, is white trash central that gave us Bush and now Trump. The new modern stadium with the pop art touches everywhere that broke the tired retro ballpark theme. I mean it's 25 years now and they're still copying Camden Yards. But Jeter or Trump would definitely drive me away. I mean, it's not as if I live in Miami or something. And their stadium food's kind of on the sucky side, especially by today's standards. So there's that, too.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I like the idea of the new stadium too and also their new unis/design, but Loria and Sampson are such creeps and yet perhaps not the worst past or future runners of that franchise. The club itself seems dedicated to the notion of either short-cutting their way to the top or not even trying, taking fans for granted.

[Guest 41Forever]

I like the Marlins is sort of a secondary way. I've seen two games at the new stadium, and five or so at Joe Robbie -- including the first two games in the inaugural season and Game Six of the World Series. I like the new uniforms, though the cap logo is a little too big and I'm not crazy about the number font.

But the team sure does make it tough to be a fan. It needs stable ownership and a long-term plan.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I agree that the cap logo is too big. I think the Marlins uniforms are pretty ugly, but I give them credit for trying something different, I guess. I definitely appreciate that they didn't build the 15th clone of Camden Yards.

[Frayed Knot]

Yeah, my only objections to the Marlins aesthetics-wise is the big M which, to me, looks like the logo telling you where to catch the Municipal bus.
The stadium is fine as long as you're not one of the taxpayers who had to foot the bill for it but that's hardly unique to them and, besides, it's their problem not mine.

My objections to the franchise are more along the lines of JCL's - from Huizenga's ownership on through. From the tear-down mentality even when it wasn't called for just when they should have been building
a fan base all while pocketing revenue sharing money, the insistence of calling themselves 'Florida' because they wanted to 'claim the state' ahead of any franchise in Tampa, to the 'credit' they take for getting
lucky twice (still have two more WS wins than division titles) as if those wins represented some sort of strategy rather than just getting hot at the right time, and then the whole tear-down thing all over again.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, different only gets me half the way there.