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

[NYCTK]

Just now, nicksaviking said:

You're kidding right? Read my first post, I don't care for the Pohlad's at all. 

But thinking swapping out one billionaire owner of a mid-market baseball team for another billionaire is going to improve our payroll is wishful thinking. 

Could happen, but the odds are against it.

Payroll is one small thing. 

You commented on someone's comment suggesting that they were wrong to be happg at this news. 

The pohlads suck. The worst case scenario with this is the twins end up with a new owner that sucks. You'll have to forgive me for not being fearful that the new owner will be worse than the owners that tried to kill a franchise and threatened to move them constantly. 

[NYCTK]

1 minute ago, Squirrel said:

Are they good? I’d say no. And I don’t think anyone is saying they are. Just because someone suggests there are worse out there … and there are, believe it or not … is not calling the Pohlads good. There is context and perspective. I’d say Reinsdorf is way worse, and so is the Pittsburgh owner. I think it’s fine to say I hope we don’t get someone like that. But that is not saying we are unhappy about the Pohlads selling nor is it saying I wish they wouldn’t. It’s conversation about what’s next and who might buy them.

You people are so afraid of an unlikely outcome that you can't even enjoy great news. 

 

[nicksaviking]

Just now, Squirrel said:

Are they good? I’d say no. And I don’t think anyone is saying they are. Just because someone suggests there are worse out there … and there are, believe it or not … is not calling the Pohlads good. There is context and perspective. I’d say Reinsdorf is way worse, and so is the Pittsburgh owner. I think it’s fine to say I hope we don’t get someone like that. But that is not saying we are unhappy about the Pohlads selling nor is it saying I wish they wouldn’t. It’s conversation about what’s next and who might buy them.

Pittsburgh owner Bob Nutting, should have been run out of the league a decade ago. Why the other owners allow him to revenue share after getting a new stadium and doing NOTHING to improve the team has to piss the rest of the owners off. Even the owners that are just faking it.

[Squirrel]

Just now, NYCTK said:

You people are so afraid of an unlikely outcome that you can't even enjoy great news. 

 

You need to not be so afraid of actual discussion with some nuance.

[nicksaviking]

8 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

Payroll is one small thing. 

You commented on someone's comment suggesting that they were wrong to be happg at this news. 

The pohlads suck. The worst case scenario with this is the twins end up with a new owner that sucks. You'll have to forgive me for not being fearful that the new owner will be worse than the owners that tried to kill a franchise and threatened to move them constantly. 

Ha, that's going to be the exact first sentence of the new owner's introductory press conference!

[nicksaviking]

5 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

You people are so afraid of an unlikely outcome that you can't even enjoy great news. 

 

No one is afraid, and it's not unlikely. Status quo is likely.

Getting new ownership is nothing but a cathartic vindication for us fans who have put up with an unsatisfactory ownership group for decades. Yet, they're still going to cash out over a billion dollars and the fans are still most likely in the same spot we've always been..

[NYCTK]

8 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

You need to not be so afraid of actual discussion with some nuance.

Like I said, the Genesis of this exchange is the first dude completely misunderstanding the comment. So how are you supposed to have a nuanced conversation? 

I get that it's likely the new owner isn't great. We all know this. But we also all know it's very unlikely to get worse. And a very good chance to get better. 

The only people disagreeing with this are people that are trying to argue that the pohlads aren't that bad actually. And those people are wrong. 

End of nuance. 

[Squirrel]

4 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

No one is afraid, and it's not unlikely. Status quo is likely.

Getting new ownership is nothing but a cathartic vindication for us fans who have put up with an unsatisfactory ownership group for decades. Yet, they're still going to cash out over a billion dollars and the fans are still most likely in the same spot we've always been..

See, now I wouldn’t call that afraid. Cynical, maybe, but not afraid. And probably more realistic than most can handle. That said, who knows. I’ve said that nothing will change until there is change at the top. Now we will hopefully, finally have change at the top so I’m choosing to be cautiously optimistic. It’s the change I’ve wanted for a long time now. I think I was through with this ownership since 2006. But … I’ve been fooled before, so, we will see.

[nicksaviking]

1 minute ago, Squirrel said:

See, now I wouldn’t call that afraid. Cynical, maybe, but not afraid. And probably more realistic than most can handle. That said, who knows. I’ve said that nothing will change until there is change at the top. Now we will hopefully, finally have change at the top so I’m choosing to be cautiously optimistic. It’s the change I’ve wanted for a long time now. I think I was through with this ownership since 2006. But … I’ve been fooled before, so, we will see.

Seems to me new ownership is like getting a new financial advisor. They might make different moves, but the financial atmosphere is the same.

I will say that replacing Dave St. Peter has been my biggest hope as he seems to be the front of all things financial. It's possible a new president will improve that and BY PROXY improve payroll. But that's still only a hope and a wish.

But I don't think new owners are going to be some white knight spending in the upper echelons just because us fans are due for a winner.

[NYCTK]

15 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

I’ve said that nothing will change until there is change at the top. Now we will hopefully, finally have change at the top so I’m choosing to be cautiously optimistic. It’s the change I’ve wanted for a long time now.

So enjoy it man! You're allowed to be optimistic, without the caution! 

This is way more important than a wild card. Imagine how you felt when the Twins beat the Blue Jays last year. You should basically be just as happy. 

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, NYCTK said:

So enjoy it man! You're allowed to be optimistic, without the caution! 

This is way more important than a wild card. Imagine how you felt when the Twins beat the Blue Jays last year. You should basically be just as happy. 

Always tell others how to feel! Good plan. 

[nicksaviking]

36 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

So enjoy it man! You're allowed to be optimistic, without the caution! 

This is way more important than a wild card. Imagine how you felt when the Twins beat the Blue Jays last year. You should basically be just as happy. 

The Twins needed a Sonny Gray replacement to do that, and they failed to do so. I don't see new ownership making that payroll change.

Here's the bottom line, unlike the other pro sports leagues, the Twins and the other non-major markets are at a huge disadvantage when it come to parity. The Pohlad's are the third longest tenured ownership group in MLB, and the longest of the non-major market owners. THEY should have been the MLB's version of the Rooney family (Pittsburgh Steelers) leading the charge to modernize the league and get that parity in terms of revenue sharing, yet they sat back and watched the disparity grow. They bowed to collusion, entertained contraction, let the steroid era happen, sat careless as the league lost ground to the NFL and NBA, and watched the popularity of the sport flail. They did nothing, sitting there like spectators NEVER using their longstanding influence. They have been terrible owners and I hold them responsible and want nothing to do with them. They were in position to be leaders but instead were followers and I'm more than happy they're gone. 

But new owners are going to have zero sway in making the Twins competitive. None. Even if they get a Dan Rooney or Huey Long or Jimmy Hoffa it's going to be a decade before they get any kind of power. We are unlikely to see any change with this move. And that's where my apathy comes from. Good riddance, but I need a fair fight so what does it actually do for me? 

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, NYCTK said:

So enjoy it man! You're allowed to be optimistic, without the caution! 

This is way more important than a wild card. Imagine how you felt when the Twins beat the Blue Jays last year. You should basically be just as happy. 

First, don’t call me man. I am not. Second, don’t tell me how I should feel. Third, don’t tell anyone they should feel exactly as you do. Beating the Blue Jays was a way more happier event. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike this news, I’ve been wanting it for a long time. But there is more to know before I let ecstatic carry me away.

[Vanimal46]

I’m just happy we are finally talking about the poor billionaires out there. No one talks about the challenges Joe Pohlad faced being born a billionaire, obtaining an Associates degree in college, and running multiple media companies into the ground. It’s tough work out there. 

[UK Twin]

I definitely think fans should be cautiously optimistic about this news. We don't even know if there are any interested parties at this stage. But the Pohlad's have clearly been thinking of selling for a while now and you'd like to think by making the news public they probably have receieved some interest. 

I'm trying to determine how appealing the Twins would be to buy - one one hand the Twins are a small to mid-market franchise. However, Minnesota teams are on the rise - Wolves and Vikings doing so well and both having superstars on their rosters so increasing the Twins profile may appeal to a billionaire's vanity. 

Also, the Twins roster is built for success now and for the future. Twins farm system is as good as its been for a long time. I think if the Pohlad's are serious about selling, they will find a buyer. I'm just hoping they will choose a buyer who has a positive long term vision for the Twins.

[IndianaTwin]

18 hours ago, ashbury said:

Follow me on Facebook for great investment tips that will make you glad you didn't waste time on baseball.

Guy I know who plays the banjo has said, "I have a sure fire way to turn you into a millionaire by playing the banjo. Begin with two million and start playing a lot of gigs."

[NYCTK]

9 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

But new owners are going to have zero sway in making the Twins competitive.

We just fundamentally disagree. This is just wrong. It's possible nothing really changes, sure, but the new owners will 100% have a sway on the direction of the organization and to think otherwise is foolish. 

[Woof Bronzer]

15 hours ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

My point is, if the franchise is sold, there is no guarantee that it will remain in Minnesota. However  I don't want to argue that the Twins will move at all. Just saying it is a possibility. I  will just drop his subject for now and we'll all have to see how this plays out.  Friends? 

I can agree with that friend!  It's just odd to hear so many people who have insisted that the Twins spending is constrained by their market size (which is true to an extent) are now saying a new owner is going to move the team to a smaller market.  MN sports fans have every right to be paranoid but I just don't understand why a new owner do that.  But, of course, it's possible.

[Ghost of Kirby Puckett]

15 hours ago, Dave Borton said:

I don't find this to be true. Their actions always struck me as business owners operating based on a franchise typical for a medium size market. No commitment to an exceptional product but rather content at fielding average teams.

I guess. They took what will end up being around 2-3 billion in equity and shoved it in their little pockets while fielding a consistently inferior product that was partially funded of course, with tax payer dollars. I'm glad they're gone. They would be the worst owners in all major sports if it wasn't for Glen Taylor existing. Maybe that guy in Oakland or Miami, maybe the Panthers owner.

And they aren't moving.  Can people stop with it. Baseball wouldn't allow it. It's one of the 15 largest media markets, and growing. If they have competent ownership,  they'll draw huge numbers. It cannot be stated enough, people hate the Pohlads. I was prepared to never, ever spend another penny or second of my time on this team ever again after this season. I know countless others in my circle who already were doing it. The Pohlads know this. They can read the room. This team was about to be abandoned by fans this year, it would be embarrassing for them. They should take their blood money and disappear. That family fortune is built off the backs of some of the hardest working people who were flat out screwed over by Carl. Scumbags.

 

[Craig Arko]

People hate a lot of things; too many. Could be time to try a different approach. 

[Riverbrian]

26 minutes ago, Woof Bronzer said:

I can agree with that friend!  It's just odd to hear so many people who have insisted that the Twins spending is constrained by their market size (which is true to an extent) are now saying a new owner is going to move the team to a smaller market.  MN sports fans have every right to be paranoid but I just don't understand why a new owner do that.  But, of course, it's possible.

In my opinion... Relocation is currently very difficult. Again in my opinion... it's mainly because the owners have the country carved up and will stand in the way of teams entering their extended backyards. Seattle would fight a move to Portland. Atlanta would fight a move to Nashville much like Baltimore fought and had to be compensated for the move to Washington DC. Much like San Francisco fought Oakland moving to San Jose. Relocation is a rare thing in baseball and I think this was a big reason why.   

Now that the blackout restrictions are hopefully heading toward extinction across the entire baseball landscape. The odds of relocation just might increase accordingly.   

As for the thought of a new owner possibly relocating. Sure... It's a possibility. It's also a possibility that the Pohlads could relocate if they remain the owners. I'm not going to worry about that with ownership change. I'm not going to worry about it if they remain. 

However... don't get lost in market size as a preventative. Market size is a strong consideration but if Memphis comes a calling offering a brand new stadium with additional modern revenue streams in the package that don't exist at Target Field. They can make up the 10 million dollars less in audience and then some. . 

And keep in mind... Reports are that MLB teams will be making less in the future with RSN's dead and gone so the market size advantages may lessen a bit as a result. 

Also... Baseball Markets are regional. When trying to determine audience size... Don't think Market... think the entire territory. Will they remain regional in the new upcoming landscape of product distribution. 

I don't know but let's find out. 

 

[Trov]

They may want to sell, and may have an evaluation of 1.5 billion, but until someone, or really a group of people come along who can pay that it will not happen.  Selling teams has become not an easy process as we have seen with the Wolves.  First, most groups will look at it as an investment, which is not what fans want, they want someone to see it as a pet project and will be willing to lose millions to try to win games. I doubt whoever owns the team the fans will be happy with. 

Second, finding someone who can pony up 1.5 billion, or more will be hard to find.  Right now revenue is down, at least that is what has been claimed.  Just because some group says the team is valued at 1.5 billion, I personally cannot understand that.  If true that the Pohlads tried to keep it close to a break even business, where is the value in the team?  The own many assets, but not 1.5 billion worth.  The team is not raking money in compared to what is going out if you believe the team.  Where will a person, or group recoup their investment?  Well, it comes from just natural increase of people saying it is worth more.  

I am happy to see the team for sale, but I think this will be a very long process and will not put us in too much of better space.  Maybe we get an owner like Padres that will be willing to lose money on the team because they make so much from other businesses, but that will take a huge baseball fan with very very deep pockets. 

[Mike Sixel]

I woke up this morning feeling like this is going to fall.... And this is the ownership group for the next decade

[Beast]

On 10/10/2024 at 10:29 AM, 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?

I’ll take my chances vs. the status quo.  What’s the worst that could happen, we don’t win a playoff series for 20 years?

Im fairly confident a new owner wouldn’t buy it under the pretense  of cutting costs further and burying the franchise.  They’ll want to grow their investment.

We’ll see, but I’m not getting my hopes up that they’ll actually sell.  This is the most they’ve been talked about in the news since 1991.  Maybe just another ploy.  They may think they can win fans back by saying they only cut costs in preparation of a potential sale,  but now are “all in” again.  Damage control on their unbelievably idiotic PR strategy this past year.  Attempts to bail water on a sinking ship.

[Russ]

The Pohlad's are not 100% of the problem.  Falvey who supposedly runs the show has blood on his hands too

The carousel of pitchers coming and going from St. Paul to the Twins was awful.  Scouting, player evaluation, player development are all lacking.  Yes the Pohlad's pay the bills or might not allocate more money, but discussions made by the front office are not good, plus poor public relations puts us at the place we stand now.

 

[Riverbrian]

4 hours ago, Craig Arko said:

People hate a lot of things; too many. Could be time to try a different approach. 

Put this on a T-Shirt and I'll wear it. 

[dex8425]

On 10/10/2024 at 12:32 PM, bean5302 said:

I think this may be a necessary move at this point, even though I've been bearish on the change because of risk of getting a legitimate "bad" owner. The Pohlad's must be aware of how much anti-Pohlad sentiment there is in the metro. They've destroyed their brand as a family 2x now. Getting fans back on board won't be so easy. There's also the broadcast rights situation. For a family hell bent on not losing money on a business, operating the Twins in a manner where they could both be profitable and successful isn't a likely scenario for the next year or two.

All that said, the Pohlad's have really, really messed up over the past 2 years, but they're not "bad" owners in terms of the rest of MLB. The teams I would definitely categorize as significantly worse are:
Rays, Guardians, White Sox, Angels, Marlins, Pirates, Rockies. There a group of teams who have owners I don't think are substantially better than the Pohlads as well (who I think are middle-back tier right now).

When it comes to the future ownership groups looking to purchase sports teams, they're are almost always committed to winning and improving the team, not just buying the team to let it sit as a .500 ball club forever. Owning a sports team is as much about dreams as business for most owners. The Pohlad family has long been committed to a base goal of .500, and a reach goal of division winning rather than the World Series. It's a seemingly unique viewpoint.

Most owners are looking to win a World Series, and some are just interested in profit (Rays) or entertainment (Rockies). Still, some are... I don't know what the hell they're doing (Marlins).

We'll have to see how this plays out... but Jim is feeling an awful lot like his dad, Carl, back in the mid 90s right about now. It's not a good look, and it's not a good feeling as a Twins fan.

Definitely throw John Fisher and the A's in the "significantly worse" category of owners too! Otherwise your post echoes a lot of my thoughts. 

[The Great Hambino]

Manfred is on record that they are looking to add two expansion teams now that Oakland/Tampa stadium situations have been resolved one way or another.   Unless they reverse course, they're not moving any teams before those expansion slots are filled.  So in effect, there would have to be three markets - not one - so much more desirable than the Twin Cities that it would be worth it to eat whatever steep financial penalty that would come with breaking the Target Field lease in order to move the team.

They're not moving.  Not even a remote possibility in the next 15 years.

[bean5302]

10 minutes ago, dex8425 said:

Definitely throw John Fisher and the A's in the "significantly worse" category of owners too! Otherwise your post echoes a lot of my thoughts. 

Fisher has been a gift to the Athletics who have a lousy fanbase and a terrible local government. The Athletics should have moved 20 years ago. There's a reason Oakland used to have 3 major sports franchises and now has none.

[dex8425]

11 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

Fisher has been a gift to the Athletics who have a lousy fanbase and a terrible local government. The Athletics should have moved 20 years ago. There's a reason Oakland used to have 3 major sports franchises and now has none.

Interesting take...Their payroll as a team has been embarrassingly low for years, even when they were really good and consistently had winning teams. Fisher doesn't control the local gov't but does control the payroll.