From the Trib. Read for details.

 

A few tidbits...

 

--Cubs to be sold after 2007

--TribCo's 25% stake in Comcast Sportsnet to be sold as well

--Company will be taken private - no longer will TribCo be a publically traded company

Edited April 2, 200719 yr by NorthSideSox72

What does this mean for the Cubs?

What does this mean for the Cubs?

It means someone else will own them, once they are sold after the 2007 season. Could mean a very differently-run team, or, it could mean nothing for the team. Hard to tell.

 

I think an interesting question is... if the Trib is no longer Cubs-connected, what will the people screaming "Cubs media bias!" do?

Wow, the Cubs could lose 30-0 today and Cubs fans will still be happy due to this news, and frankly I can't blame them. This is a sad day for us Cub haters, because I can't speak for us of us but I thought the Tribune was doing a wonderful job.

Here is the specific article on the Cubs' eventual sale.

 

Two interesting bits from this one...

 

"This transition will not impact our on-field performance," John McDonough, Cubs president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

 

He says that as if its a good thing.

 

Then there is this, involving the Sox..

 

Zell, who owns a minority stake in the Jerry Reinsdorf-led syndicate that owns the White Sox, was going to be required by Major League Baseball to choose either that investment or the Cubs with his Tribune Co. deal. The sale of the Cubs is subject to the approval of Major League Baseball.

 

Apparently Zell, a corporate financier extraordinaire, feels his investment in the Sox is better for him than the one in the Cubs.

Edited April 2, 200719 yr by NorthSideSox72

what are the chances this new owner of the cubs decides to ship the cubs out of town? LOL

I am very interested to see who is the new owner....and good luck with the 300 million dollars of crap.

 

The media bias is over.

I am very interested to see who is the new owner....and good luck with the 300 million dollars of crap.

 

The media bias is over.

I'd guess the team will go for more like twice that much.

And now the "Please, Mark Cuban, Buy The Cubs" campaign begins.

Or more accurately, it picks up steam, since Cubs fans have wanted Cuban to buy the team for a while now.

found this on espn.

 

Others who expressed interest in buying the Cubs recently include Chicago businessman Don Levin, owner of the Chicago Wolves minor-league hockey team, and a prospective ownership group of 15 investors that includes Tom Begel, chairman of Chicago-based TMB Industries.

I think an interesting question is... if the Trib is no longer Cubs-connected, what will the people screaming "Cubs media bias!" do?

 

 

I was at a recent Job fair and the Tribune had a subscription booth set-up. If you signed up for a subscription you got a free gift. They had Sox, Bears and Bulls hats and key chains. No Cubs anywhere in site.

I can now buy the Tribune again!!!

what are the chances this new owner of the cubs decides to ship the cubs out of town? LOL

The biggest asset any buyer gets is that ballpark. Figuring out a way to act like Fenway and add more seats, pack in a few more thousand drunken people per game, etc. Even a 60,000 beauty with luxury boxes in some other city probably wouldn't have a shot at competing with a guaranteed 40,000 tickets sold per game no matter the price.

And now the "Please, Mark Cuban, Buy The Cubs" campaign begins.

Or more accurately, it picks up steam, since Cubs fans have wanted Cuban to buy the team for a while now.

 

I would love to see Cuban own a baseball team, but any team other than the Cubs. I think he would be successful.

It is funny ONLY year Cubs spend money they sell because they will not responsible for paying the bill.

I would love to see Cuban own a baseball team, but any team other than the Cubs. I think he would be successful.

The only speculation I've seen anywhere (and I've never seen the speculation backed up by Cuban quotes) is that he'd be interested in the Pirates, since he's a Pennsylvania guy.

It makes more sense financially to buy the Pirates. There's nowhere to go but up in Pittsburgh, and it seems like all revenue streams are maxed out, or close to it, on the North side.

He'd be hamstrung by the inability to build a new ballpark somewhere else, the lack of parking, and the limited alterations he'd be allowed to do to Wrigley.

Here is the specific article on the Cubs' eventual sale.

 

Two interesting bits from this one...

He says that as if its a good thing.

 

Then there is this, involving the Sox..

Apparently Zell, a corporate financier extraordinaire, feels his investment in the Sox is better for him than the one in the Cubs.

He knows the Cubs will be sold for far more than they are worth. I wonder if this means the Tribune will end its Ligue updates.

He knows the Cubs will be sold for far more than they are worth. I wonder if this means the Tribune will end its Ligue updates.

 

 

YES

The only speculation I've seen anywhere (and I've never seen the speculation backed up by Cuban quotes) is that he'd be interested in the Pirates, since he's a Pennsylvania guy.

It makes more sense financially to buy the Pirates. There's nowhere to go but up in Pittsburgh, and it seems like all revenue streams are maxed out, or close to it, on the North side.

He'd be hamstrung by the inability to build a new ballpark somewhere else, the lack of parking, and the limited alterations he'd be allowed to do to Wrigley.

I believe he's made the offer to buy the Pirates before.

I believe he's made the offer to buy the Pirates before.

I wasn't sure if he had or not, but I knew I heard the rumor, at least.

Like I said, that's the team that makes the most sense, both emotionally for him and financially.

Mmhmm. He won't buy the Cubs, that's for sure.

He knows the Cubs will be sold for far more than they are worth.

That was kind of my thought, but also, as The Critic said, the northside ballclub really has a lot less up side available to it. If anything, looking at late last year, I think its evident that the Cubs won't be able to automatically draw complete sellouts all season anymore. They may actually have to put a winning team on the field.

The thought is that Wrigley Field will not be part of the deal as that land could be worth as much as the franchise. The Cubs will lease the stadium.

 

Jerry Colangelo is a candidate and he has a good relationship with MLB. Selig may veto a deal with Cuban. The contracts the cubs signed in the offseason will actually hurt the sale price as most of them are back loaded. The new owners could use this as their excuse for their spending habits.

 

I never really thought the Tribune was bad for the cubs. I always thought their payroll was pretty high.

One interesting footnote to this.... Zell has to sell the Cubs, because he already owns an interest in another professional baseball franchise. Anyone have a guess as to what team that is? Yup, that's right, the Chicago White Sox. Everyone wants to know who the big money is behind the White Sox, well now you know.

One interesting footnote to this.... Zell has to sell the Cubs, because he already owns an interest in another professional baseball franchise. Anyone have a guess as to what team that is? Yup, that's right, the Chicago White Sox. Everyone wants to know who the big money is behind the White Sox, well now you know.

There seems to be an echo in here...