Game-Changer: Pohlad Family Announces They Will Explore Selling Twins

[Woof Bronzer]

Just now, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

2.  The change in TV revenue is showing it was a major implications for the budget,  for profits,  but also likely much more uncertainty and a lower price that the Pohlads can get in selling the team.  They have a solid team and prospects though which is currently a valuable asset for someone wanting to purchase a team to be set to win right away with good long term prospects.  

I mean, you're describing a fairly typical business challenge.  Markets change, costs and revenues change, businesses need to constantly adapt.  In the Twins' case instead of relying on that free Bally's revenue they'd have to make it up by actually earning it - marketing hard, caring about the TF experience, growing a fan base, establishing goodwill in the community.  I think the Pohlads preferred just sitting back and letting the cash flow in.  If owning the team now requires actual work/effort, well, let some other sucker do that.

[In My La Z boy]

1 minute ago, nicksaviking said:

John Fisher bought the A's in 2005 and ran them into the ground so he could move them in 2025. That was 15 years. Also, come 2040, Target Field will be as old as the Metrodome was when the Twins left it.

However, I see very little chance the Twins are moving in 2040 as relocation is MLB's biggest threat to get new stadiums. The other owners aren't going to let the new guys in the club jump in line and steal their best leverage to improve the stadiums that actually are outdated. The Coliseum in Oakland was already a terrible stadium in 2005, and like the Coliseum, the Metrodome was ALWAYS a cut-rate stadium that didn't match up to it's peer venues. Target Field still ranks as one of the best in the league.

 

Target is a gorgeous venue. No chance a sale is approved if a new owner expressed interest in moving. Manfred wants expansion. He's not going to expand by moving an existing team that already has a gorgeous park. We need a new owner who can comfortably handle the expected revenues vs expenses, and has some fresh ideas and an ego.

[jmlease1]

I'm fine with this. Look, you never know until they come in whether a new owner will be good or not, but we do know how the Pohlad family has run things over the past 40 years and we've been given a very clear sign of how they intend things to run in the future. They expect this team to not lose money on a year over year basis, regardless of the situation. They're perfectly comfortable pocketing profits (and they made plenty of profits during the lowest payroll years) and aren't interested in taking losses, no matter what the appreciation in value of the franchise is.

Other owners balance the appreciation of the franchise against the annual balance sheet; the Pohlads don't seem interested in that which will be a constant limiter on their investment in the team, which has created staggering wealth for them.

Let them cash out. and go away. Almost all billionaires suck in some way, but let's at least find one who might GAF about winning. I suspect MLB isn't going to approve the sale to anyone who doesn't have the cash flow to handle the year over year, and there are enough gazillionaires out there that want the status of owning a professional team. Win a title and you get treated like a hero. they can own the team for 20 years, win some titles and cash out.

The unknown might be scary, but the current ownership is doing a bad job of running the team's business and is more interested in their own profits than winning. Time to move along.

[howeda7]

29 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

The clause at the Metrodome, ruled by a judge, is why the team isn’t contracted today. Those leases are pretty iron clad. 

Judge Crump got a bobblehead but deserves a small statue at Target Field.

[JD-TWINS]

11 minutes ago, Craig Arko said:

As in the boy from Hibbing?

The former Red Wing Training School (right on Hwy. 61) Bobby Zimmerman?? Can’t be.

Maybe somebody’s been sending Joe Pohlad the lyric from Positively 4th Street and saying he was Dylan? That could have taken the family over the edge! 😉

[SpicyGarvSauce]

23 minutes ago, Woof Bronzer said:

Some wild comments here about relocation.  First of all, the Pohlads have apparently so brainwashed fans into believing the Twins are a small market team that fans actually believe it.  MSP is a top 15 market in the country.  If the Twins are a business, and MLB is driven by revenue disparities, why would an intelligent owner want to move to a smaller market?  

Second, and most importantly, do folks really not remember that the Pohlads not only tried to move the team once but ALSO TRIED TO CONTRACT THE ENTIRE FRANCHISE OUT OF EXISTENCE?  My goodness.  A new owner guarantees nothing, of course.  But we KNOW the Pohlads are terrible.  (Reminder:  1 divisional series win in three decades.) Good bleeping riddance!

Well said.

I cannot believe, well I can, that there is still a group of people that actually want to openly praise the Pohlad family. Hilarious.

[Vanimal46]

20 minutes ago, C-Gangster said:

Maybe Someone here can buy it?

I’m about $1.499 billion short at the moment… But I do have some beanie babies and Pokemon cards somewhere in storage… 

[howeda7]

14 minutes ago, roger said:

No, I am just saying that 2040 will be here before you know it.  

You see I don't dislike the Pohlad family like so many of you.  I appreciate owners who run their teams like a business, thus, increasing the likelihood that the team won't be on the brink of financial destruction.  I expect the biggest reason the Pohlad's are considering a sale is because of the ill will that has expanded both on sites like this and also traditional media,.  

If they do complete a sale, I pray that it is to another local group who cares about the Twin Cities and not an outside group who has zero ties to the Twin Cities.  As for someone buying to relocate, I suspect there are many mega-billionaires living in places like Nashville, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Austin, Portland and other cities who would love to own their own major league baseball team.  Should one of those end up buying the team, I fear for Twins fans in the Twin Cities.

If they were still stuck in the Metrodome, sure. One thing the Pohlads have done is keep Target Field first class. MLB is not letting a team in a good stadium leave the #15 market for some market in the 30's or below, even if TB/A's are fully resolved.

[Jocko87]

6 minutes ago, Unwinder said:

Well, first of all, A-Rod has plenty of experience owning the Twins.

I don't recall enjoying that experience much.

As many have said, careful what you wish for. 🤣

[Andy Brodie]

2 hours ago, ashbury said:

"Be careful what you wish for."  People have been saying we'll be better off under different ownership.  What if new ownership resides in Nashville, Tennessee, for instance?  Or consists of a consortium of investors who find themselves with cash-flow problems next time there is an economic downturn?

Great market (don't buy the small-market b.s.). Great ballpark. Great fanbase. Cheap owners.

Only one thing needs to change there. We can't say for sure, but it's unlikely anyone will buy this club looking to move or slash-and-burn.

Twins would have been gone long ago if Carl had gotten his way. Pohlads will make a fortune on this sale, and the fanbase and taxpayers of Minnesota played no small part without ever getting back the financial reinvestment by ownership that was deserved. 

Not without anxiety but mostly excited for what's to come. Win Twins!

[Craig Arko]

3 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

The former Red Wing Training School (right on Hwy. 61) Bobby Zimmerman?? Can’t be.

Maybe somebody’s been sending Joe Pohlad the lyric from Positively 4th Street and saying he was Dylan? That could have taken the family over the edge! 😉

A consortium of Dylan, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton could lead to a whole new slough of promotions and experiences at TF. Not to mention the walkup music.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

44 minutes ago, CCH said:

1. Sales don't always take long. Orioles sale took 2 months

2. calling someone not the worst is a horrible take, and the wrong way to look at an ownership group.

3. The stadium has a no move clause until 2040. Do your research.

4. Those two WS championships were under the original owner Carl Pohlad, Don't compare the current ownership group to the original.

5. What are you basing this off of? They still have a team and need to get ready for 2025. 

 

1.  Orioles sale.  The exception not the rule. The new owners of the Angels. . . Oh, never mind. . .  but  I’ll wait.  Hence my original comment.  Calm down.

2.  In my understated way, I was saying that the Pohlad group was “a long ways” from the worst and that there are others out there that are worse.  I did not say that there were only one or two worse ones out there.  

3.  Stadium clause.  I already knew that.  Research done.  BILLIONAIRES have a way of negotiating away agreements, no matter how iron clad they appear to be to us mortals.  If the Twins become some billionaire’s vanity project, a a few tens of millions here or there aren’t going to keep them from moving the team if they really mean it.  It’s not the most likely possibility, but it’s at least as likely as your Orioles scenario above.  I’m not willing to bet on the good intentions of someone who can spend my net worth every day and never even get close to touching the large pile of cash in the center.  

4.  Those two WS championships were under the patriarch of the family Carl Pohlad.  I was around for those.  They were amazing.  I have a great deal of grace for the people that brought those to my fandom.  It was so much better than the previous ownership (a dumpster fire if there ever was one), you probably can’t even imagine it. 

5.  I’m taking the theory that they were “right sizing” things last year to get the books cleaner in preparation for a potential sale (that may or may not be true).  If that is true, they certainly aren’t going to do anything crazy (or even substantial) right now when they are in the middle of trying to market and sell the team.  

You may disagree, which is fine.  I’m cautiously optimistic, but as someone else said, heavy on the caution.  

[Mike Sixel]

The fear in many amazes me somewhat. 

[Craig Arko]

1 minute ago, Mike Sixel said:

The fear in many amazes me somewhat. 

These are scary times.

[nicksaviking]

14 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

Derek Jeter did not lead that group. Bruce Sherman led the group, and he lied to Jeter about resources. Jeter said enough of that and jumped ship.

I don't care who it was, I don't want what happened to the Marlins to happen to the Twins.

[Andy Brodie]

2 hours ago, Patzky said:

Suddenly the off-season becomes a whole lot more .. eh, interesting. 

No doubt. I've annually purchased the Offseason Handbook with a Caretaker contribution, but it had become so predictable and tiring to read as ownership would support little-to-no spending. Maybe this year's edition should include a section on potential new owners!

[chpettit19]

12 minutes ago, Unwinder said:

Well, first of all, A-Rod has plenty of experience owning the Twins.

Too soon!

[nicksaviking]

11 minutes ago, In My La Z boy said:

Target is a gorgeous venue. No chance a sale is approved if a new owner expressed interest in moving. Manfred wants expansion. He's not going to expand by moving an existing team that already has a gorgeous park. We need a new owner who can comfortably handle the expected revenues vs expenses, and has some fresh ideas and an ego.

Agree.

That would be great, but I'm just skeptical.

I don't want an ego, those types seem to meddle even when they don't have the skill or knowledge to do so.

[Fatbat]

* “Intent to explore a sale” ….. gotta love how lawyers use the wordsmithing in the English language.  Joe Pohlad to his legal counsel. “No lowball offers. I know what I have. Its been right sized.”

[Mike Sixel]

3 minutes ago, Craig Arko said:

These are scary times.

True or not, living in constant fear that every change is bad must be just awful for people. Makes me sad

[In My La Z boy]

Just now, nicksaviking said:

Agree.

That would be great, but I'm just skeptical.

I don't want an ego, those types seem to meddle even when they don't have the skill or knowledge to do so.

Ego meaning new owner insists on winning as a priority 👍

[Andy Brodie]

If only we could go the Green Bay Packers ownership route!

Sports Teams Should Be Owned by the Public

https://jacobin.com/2019/12/nfl-cowboys-jerry-jones-football-owners-public-ownership

Public ownership works for some of world’s best sports teams -- is there a future for the idea in America?

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/public-ownership-works-for-some-of-worlds-best-sports-teams-is-there-a-future-for-the-idea-in-america/

[USAFChief]

17 minutes ago, Unwinder said:

Well, first of all, A-Rod has plenty of experience owning the Twins.

/thread.

 

 Brilliant. 

[nicksaviking]

Just now, Andy Brodie said:

If only we could go the Green Bay Packers ownership route!

Sports Teams Should Be Owned by the Public

https://jacobin.com/2019/12/nfl-cowboys-jerry-jones-football-owners-public-ownership

Public ownership works for some of world’s best sports teams -- is there a future for the idea in America?

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/public-ownership-works-for-some-of-worlds-best-sports-teams-is-there-a-future-for-the-idea-in-america/

That would be great, but pretty sure no one would let that happen.

Then again, you'd probably have plenty of tax payers protesting for the payroll to be about 1M total.

[bean5302]

I think it's also worth noting.... Arte Moreno was selling the Angels last year for a couple weeks as well. Who knows what group comes forward for the Twins? 

[Craig Arko]

4 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

That would be great, but pretty sure no one would let that happen.

Then again, you'd probably have plenty of tax payers protesting for the payroll to be about 1M total.

I wouldn’t base much off of this board since most of you don’t live here.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

12 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

The fear in many amazes me somewhat. 

The unknown is often scary, and I’m definitely guilty of feeling that way sometimes.  Maybe it’s the MN fan in me, but things overall have been OK.  Not amazing, but also not terrible (I know many others have MUCH stronger feelings).  I do know that almost anything can be screwed up much worse than it has been so far.  I lived through the late 1990’s.  

[Unwinder]

In all seriousness, I've been following the Timberwolves situation, and I don't think Glenn Taylor has a case against A-rod and Lore. I don't think that sale will fall through. Very unlikely that they will have any reason to pivot to the Twins.

But they are popular with the fanbase, and are credited with a lot of bold moves that made the Wolves an elite contender. They have also demonstrated a willingness to spend (at least early on when they're trying to amass fan goodwill). The Kat trade was a payroll move, but it wasn't out of cheapness, it was because the NBA's new salary cap system heavily restricts free agency and trade moves for teams that spend as much as the Wolves were set to spend in the next few years. Time will tell if they work out long term, but I think ownership similar to that group would probably be 80th-percentile in terms of positive outcomes for the Twins' situation. My main knock on them is that they're not quite obscenely rich and might be less competitive in a sport with no salary cap.

[Sssuperdave]

Sooooo many thoughts!!!

• First instinct - this is wonderful news.  Yes, there are all kinds of ways it might go bad, and there are way worse owners than the Pohlads (more on that below), but seriously... I'm just more hopeful about the Twins today than I have been on any day in years, and it's not blind or unwarranted hope.  Yes, the new owner could be worse, even a lot worse, but he/she/they could also be a whole lot better.
• Where the Pohlads stand is complicated.  There have been some absolutely terrible, embarrassingly terrible, pro sports team owners.  Think Donald Sterling, Marge Schott, Dan Snyder, and at least a dozen more.   But still, the Pohlads volunteered to contract the team.  I mean, they don't spew racist vitriol and they've never tanked like the A's or Marlins, but still, volunteering to contract the team?
•  Even if the Twins didn't have a lease until 2040, I just don't see them moving.  I mean, anything can happen (North Stars anyone?), but it just doesn't make logical sense.   MSP is the 16th largest metro area, and I would guess the Twins Market is even bigger than 16th when you consider all of MN and the Dakotas.  MSP is not a small market for MLB, it is a mid-sized market.  We aren't NY, Chicago, or LA, but we aren't Kansas City or Tampa Bay either.

[shimrod]

"The clause at the Metrodome, ruled by a judge, is why the team isn’t contracted today. Those leases are pretty iron clad. "

As I recall, the judge was perfectly willing to allow the Twins to buy out the lease. He asked them to open the books and demonstrate the team was not making money. The Twins pulled the team out of the contraction program rather than show their financials to the judge.