How Attractive Is the Minnesota Twins Franchise to Potential Buyers?

[Matthew Taylor]

With the Pohlad family announcing plans to explore selling the Minnesota Twins, the potential future of the franchise is suddenly in question. But with a competitive roster, top-tier stadium, and passionate fanbase, this raises an important question: How attractive is this team to prospective buyers?

Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-Ima

The Pohlad family recently made waves by announcing they are exploring the possibility of selling the Minnesota Twins. This news stirs up the question: How attractive is this franchise to potential buyers?

To answer that, let’s take a closer look at what the Minnesota Twins have to offer and why this organization might be a hot commodity in today’s sports ownership landscape.

Championship Upside

The Minnesota Twins aren’t just a middling team in a rebuilding phase — they’re a franchise with a competitive roster and championship aspirations. The rotation features legitimate star power with Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, and Bailey Ober forming a formidable trio, while the lineup includes elite talents like Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton, when healthy. Add in the electric arms of Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax in the bullpen, and you’ve got a team that can contend now.

Beyond the stars, the Twins’ farm system is one of the best in baseball, ranked second by MLB.com in mid-season rankings. With rookies like Simeon Woods Richardson and Brooks Lee ready to make their mark on the major league roster, and Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez waiting in the wings, this team isn’t just built to win now — it’s built to last. For potential owners, inheriting a team with both current talent and future potential makes for an exciting investment.

Respected Front Office

Another selling point is the front office. Since Derek Falvey took over in 2016, the Twins have built a reputation for smart, analytically-driven decision-making. Their approach has been methodical and sustainable, helping the Twins stay competitive year after year.

Falvey and his team have also created a culture of transparency and innovation, which has not only gained the respect of other front offices around the league but also the trust of players and fans. Any potential buyer looking for a well-oiled machine in terms of management won’t need to start from scratch here — they’ll be stepping into an organization already built for sustainable success.

Target Field: A Premier Destination

One of the crown jewels of the franchise is Target Field. Opened in 2010, the ballpark has quickly earned a reputation as one of the most beautiful stadiums in Major League Baseball. With a stunning view of downtown Minneapolis, modern amenities, and recent renovations, Target Field still feels fresh, making it an attractive asset for any potential buyer. Additionally, with the terms of the lease, Target Field will be able to continually improve thanks to tax-payer dollars continuing to flow into the stadium over the life of the lease.

While some franchises are burdened with the challenge of financing new stadiums or massive renovations, the Twins’ home field offers immediate appeal. It’s a ballpark that consistently ranks in the top tier and provides a prime fan experience, which helps drive attendance and fan engagement.

Growth Opportunity with Expanded Reach

Another reason the Twins are poised to attract serious interest is their potential for audience growth. The recent shift from Diamond Sports and Bally to MLB producing the Twins’ games opens a significant opportunity. This transition may lead to lower short-term revenues, but it removes the dreaded blackouts and allows fans from across the Twins’ territory—including Minnesota, the Dakotas, and Iowa—to watch the games without the barriers of expensive cable packages.

Over time, this wider reach will not only bring in more fans but also open doors for increased advertising and sponsorship opportunities. The ability to grow the brand beyond its current limitations is an exciting proposition for any new ownership group looking to tap into an untapped market.

A Distressed Asset with Huge Upside

While the Twins boast strong assets on the field, it’s no secret that the Pohlad family’s tenure has left much to be desired from a fan engagement standpoint. Over the years, the Pohlads have often been criticized for their frugality, lack of ambition, and failure to push the franchise to its full potential. This has led to growing frustration among the fanbase, many of whom have been vocal in their desire for new ownership.

For any potential buyer, this creates a unique opportunity. The Twins have effectively become a distressed asset, and any new ownership group coming in would be purchasing a gold mine at a reduced price. The bar has been set low, and with the fans eager for change, the next owner has a chance to be viewed as a hero simply by running the franchise with a bit more ambition and sense.

Winning over the fanbase won’t take much — their desire for a competent, engaged owner is palpable. A new owner who invests in the team and demonstrates a clear commitment to success will be embraced with open arms by a fanbase that’s long been yearning for something better. It’s a rare scenario where buying a distressed asset could pay off quickly and spectacularly.

A City That Loves Its Sports Teams

Finally, any buyer will want to know: Will the fans show up? Minnesota has repeatedly shown that it is a fantastic sports town. The playoff atmosphere at Target Field last year was electric, even during weekday day games. When the Twins are good, this city turns out in droves—and not just for baseball. From the Timberwolves’ playoff run to the Minnesota Vikings’ hot start this season, the state’s love for its teams is undeniable.

An owner who invests in a winning product will undoubtedly find a fanbase ready to rally behind it. Minnesota may not be a New York or Los Angeles, but with the right leadership, the Twins could easily become one of the hottest tickets in town.

The Minnesota Twins are more than just a baseball team—they’re a franchise with star talent, a well-run front office, a top-tier stadium, and ample room for growth. Combine all of that with a passionate fanbase, and you’ve got the recipe for a highly attractive purchase. The question is: Will the right buyer come along to unlock the Twins’ full potential?

What do you think, Twins fans? Is this franchise ready to attract a new ownership group that can take them to the next level? Let us know in the comments below!

View full article

[BH67]

Two big unknowns per investor desirability are a more equal distribution of MLB media/streaming revenue and a more restrictive salary cap. Both seem necessary for someone who wants to pay $2 billion for the privilege.

But an even bigger obstacle to me is the randomness of success in the MLB playoffs since the field was expanded to 12 teams. Ultimate success in MLB is more prone to chance than in any other North American sport.

[Fatbat]

Thats exactly the type of ownership group that the Twins need and fans deserve.  Someone with vision and willing to take a well calculated risk to maximize the franchise. Butts in the seats because of perennial championship contention. 

[Dave Borton]

15 minutes ago, Matthew Taylor said:

 

A City That Loves Its Sports Teams

with a passionate fanbase, and you’ve got the recipe for a highly attractive purchase...

What do you think, Twins fans? Is this franchise ready to attract a new ownership group that can take them to the next level? Let us know in the comments below!

 

View full article

 

People aren't standing in line to buy MLB franchises:

• Oldest demographic for attendance and viewership
• 23rd in attendance

Angels and Nationals failed to attract a buyer in two years and removed from the market.

Price tage? Probably $1.5-2BB. But like real estate, it takes just one buyer. Billionaire w/money to blow, just wants to join a select club. Hedge fund who will buy and then flip it.

Will be interesting story to follow. Don't look for payroll to creep up at all in interim. Falvey will be playing the first 5 cards dealt while others CBOs will be drawing until they like their hand. 

[bean5302]

1) Championship Upside - Nobody cares.
2) Respected Front Office - Nobody cares.
3) Target Field Premier Destination - This is a negative. 
4) Growth Opportunity - This one is an important plus.
5) Sports Support - This one is a plus.

6) Owning a sports franchise is prestigious. - This is a huge plus.

Buyers are going to be looking for teams which are cheap, and nearing the end of their lease. Owners of stadiums usually make a killing on real estate around the stadium. The new stadium sparks off development in the area, and the franchise owner knows ahead of time where the stadium is likely to be built so the franchise owner front-runs the market, purchases undesirable properties near the new venue only to turn a massive profit after the new stadium is built and the property then becomes desirable. Wilf already bought the properties around the old Metrodome site, and once that happened, the stadium location was essentially locked into place.

A potential buyer is going to want a return on investment, but they're going to have to do it with putting fans into the seats, and national exposure with a purchase of the Twins. That's way harder than buying a team that needs a new stadium where you can just generate wealth through forcing a local government to build a new stadium to spark off a new neighborhood filled with huge value growth.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

I think that the number one thing that makes this team either attractive or unattractive to a buyer is the one thing that we absolutely don't know for certain -- what does the ledger sheet look like.  These positive things listed are fantastic, some more important than others, but it all pales in the face of what the real current financial situation is. 

There is certainly potential for growth, but it is difficult to project what it could become without knowing exactly where it is now. 

[chpettit19]

As far as just the Twins as a stand alone product, I think their attractiveness comes down to a prospective buyer's feelings on how well the Pohlads maximized the Twin Cities market. I've been quite vocal that I think they've failed miserably and there's a great deal of room to improve and draw more fans, and thus increase revenue. So I think they're pretty attractive when it comes to mid-market teams.

The complicating factor is that it's not just about the Twins, it's also about MLB as a product. It's an interesting time to be trying to sell. Right in the middle of the switch away from RSNs as you switch to streaming. The prospective buyer must also trust the league office to maneuver through the next handful of years and find the right path to revenue growth away from RSNs. Or the new buyers have to have their own plan with a good understanding of the media market. 

[chpettit19]

21 minutes ago, Dave Borton said:

People aren't standing in line to buy MLB franchises:

• Oldest demographic for attendance and viewership
• 23rd in attendance

Angels and Nationals failed to attract a buyer in two years and removed from the market.

Price tage? Probably $1.5-2BB. But like real estate, it takes just one buyer. Billionaire w/money to blow, just wants to join a select club. Hedge fund who will buy and then flip it.

Will be interesting story to follow. Don't look for payroll to creep up at all in interim. Falvey will be playing the first 5 cards dealt while others CBOs will be drawing until they like their hand. 

The Orioles sold in 2 months. I think it's about setting a realistic price tag. 2 billion is not realistic. The Twins aren't worth that. If they're realistic and looking for 1.4 to 1.6 they can sell the franchise pretty easily, I'd bet. If they're asking 2 billion it's going to be much more difficult.

[Dave Borton]

15 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I've been quite vocal that I think they've failed miserably and there's a great deal of room to improve and draw more fans, and thus increase revenue. So I think they're pretty attractive when it comes to mid-market teams.

Spot on.

I attribute that to St Peter, CEO and President. Public relations, marketing of the players and team, broadening and mining the market area, media component, TV/radio network and rev's, etc. He doesn't strike me as a creative individual/executive.

One successful area is the fan experience. The entire crew at the park is superb. Welcoming environment, personable staff, clean. I have never had a bad experience at Target Field. Some will complain about concession prices but many haven't attended games elsewhere and don't have that perspective.

[Doctor Gast]

IMO Pohlads have already dipped their toe in the waters, Their announcing their intentions & stating that this is the right time to sell, tells me that they like their chances & possibility of something breaking out before the announcement if they decide to wait. They could be in negotiations already with different groups. Also their concern for selling to the right group could also mean that there could be several opportunities that they are looking at.  For everyone concerned, I hope that the Pohlads aren't too greedy & for a smooth & quick sale.

[Jocko87]

37 minutes ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

I think that the number one thing that makes this team either attractive or unattractive to a buyer is the one thing that we absolutely don't know for certain -- what does the ledger sheet look like.  These positive things listed are fantastic, some more important than others, but it all pales in the face of what the real current financial situation is. 

There is certainly potential for growth, but it is difficult to project what it could become without knowing exactly where it is now. 

This is the answer.

The comparison to real estate is very accurate. Far to many people focus on easy to change things like paint color or an outdated kitchen rather than the stuff that can't be changed or would be very difficult. What can and can't be fixed easily is in those ledgers.

We are all in pretty basic agreement that marketing and therefore revenue conversion is an issue.  Fairly easy to fix but what is the actual price and return once fixed?

This isn't a dilapidated rip it to the studs rehab, it's much more of an A class property that's been slightly mismanaged. There is upside, but probably less than some others and it has to be done carefully. 

I don't really care about your books if I'm rebuilding the whole thing, its all about my projections.  If I'm trying to improve around the edges, I gotta know what I'm working with.

Of course, we'd all love an owner that didn't care about such things because the Twins are a rounding error on their balance sheet.  In that case, none of these things matter.

[jkcarew]

How much does it cost to break the lease? Depending…it either restricts or expands the pool of potential buyers. Some investors want to invest near their home territory. Some will think other markets are more attractive/viable…if moving isn’t cost prohibitive.

Raleigh-Duram Twins?

Twin Cities is one of, if not the, smallest (number of wallets and purses, not geographically) market to have all 4 major sports franchises…(not to mention MLS and WNBA). I always thought that the NBA was the odd duckling in this market. But, that’s not the way it’s trending.

[bean5302]

2 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

The Orioles sold in 2 months. I think it's about setting a realistic price tag. 2 billion is not realistic. The Twins aren't worth that. If they're realistic and looking for 1.4 to 1.6 they can sell the franchise pretty easily, I'd bet. If they're asking 2 billion it's going to be much more difficult.

The realistic price tag is easier when the owners are in a rush to sell like the Fred Wilpon essentially being forced to sell the Mets due to liquidity issues, and Peter Angelos starting to heavily market the Orioles shortly before his death.

There is no real "need" for the Pohlad family to sell so far as I know. That would place them more into the Arte Moreno and Lerner family category. Still, the Pohlad's are probably more committed to a potential sale.

The Lerner family was divided on selling the Nationals so it makes sense the necessary offer would have needed to be higher to meet their requirements, like a team trading away a highly valued contributor. Arte Moreno is one of the owners who gets deep into the front office side of things meddling around so I think he's probably more attached to the Angels, which also probably inflated any potential selling price. I don't get the feeling there are those conflicts in the Pohlad family.

[LameColt]

Never tried this before so….

l absolutely applaud responses regarding improving the Twins’ face, package, image. Lots to be done. Improvement and expansion, rather than tearing apart. All franchises have their warts.

So in this process, where everyone’s input matters, please don’t forget the women’s perspective. They too love baseball. The best will offer quality ideas, many of them different from the rest of us. Start with Marnie Gellner, both for her ideas and for names of those who have sought, or offered advice for improving the Twins baseball experience. You’ll likely need to openly solicit responses, but they will be (mostly) good ones. Further, and I’m aware some females are in the Twins employ, hire some more. I have some years of experience with this where occasionally I got more than I bargained for, but the women’s view is often more creative and inclusive.  In the end, very worthwhile.

[Guest]

1) Championship Upside?  Unpredictable, unquantifiable.
2) Respected Front Office - Not on this board....
3) Target Field Premier Destination - TF has witnessed declining attendance over time and the city council hasn't the will or means to restore confidence in downtown. 
4) Growth Opportunity - Wut?  You're kidding.
5) Sports Support - Not evident from declining attendance and viewership.
6) Owning a profitable sports franchise is prestigious - There's that word again:  profitable.  Drives TD writers crazy.  Why won't some rich guy just buy the team and empty his pockets for us, no questions asked?

I called the Pohlads' decision to consider selling a week before they made it official.  I'll make another prediction:  any buyer will be an out-of-town buyer -- no links or fondness for a city that's eating itself -- who will move the team within five years.  The Pohlad ownership will go down in Minnesota sports history as a case of the fans biting the hands that fed them baseball.

[LA Vikes Fan]

2 hours ago, bean5302 said:

The realistic price tag is easier when the owners are in a rush to sell like the Fred Wilpon essentially being forced to sell the Mets due to liquidity issues, and Peter Angelos starting to heavily market the Orioles shortly before his death.

There is no real "need" for the Pohlad family to sell so far as I know. That would place them more into the Arte Moreno and Lerner family category. Still, the Pohlad's are probably more committed to a potential sale.

The Lerner family was divided on selling the Nationals so it makes sense the necessary offer would have needed to be higher to meet their requirements, like a team trading away a highly valued contributor. Arte Moreno is one of the owners who gets deep into the front office side of things meddling around so I think he's probably more attached to the Angels, which also probably inflated any potential selling price. I don't get the feeling there are those conflicts in the Pohlad family.

Don't forget that Moreno had a sale lined up and bailed because he just couldn't bring himself to leave the exclusive "owner of a pro sports team" club. He got the price he was looking for, at least the price he said he was looking for. He also still thinks he can develop around the parking lots and make big bucks. I don't think the Pohlads will have that problem. Their problem is they may have waiting one year too long, so they're selling with a negative TV situation. 

[bean5302]

7 minutes ago, Minderbinder said:

...I'll make another prediction:  any buyer will be an out-of-town buyer -- no links or fondness for a city that's eating itself -- who will move the team within five years...

The Twins lease at Target Field doesn't expire until 2040, and it explicitly forbids the Twins from relocating. They're not moving until at least very close to 2040, if they would be allowed to break the lease at all (which they weren't with just one year left at the Metrodome).

[glunn]

Just now, LameColt said:

Never tried this before so….

l absolutely applaud responses regarding improving the Twins’ face, package, image. Lots to be done. Improvement and expansion, rather than tearing apart. All franchises have their warts.

So in this process, where everyone’s input matters, please don’t forget the women’s perspective. They too love baseball. The best will offer quality ideas, many of them different from the rest of us. Start with Marnie Gellner, both for her ideas and for names of those who have sought, or offered advice for improving the Twins baseball experience. You’ll likely need to openly solicit responses, but they will be (mostly) good ones. Further, and I’m aware some females are in the Twins employ, hire some more. I have some years of experience with this where occasionally I got more than I bargained for, but the women’s view is often more creative and inclusive.  In the end, very worthwhile.

Welcome to TD.

[DocBauer]

Well said. Spot on, IMO. And while it's difficult for me to comment on a couple points, I guess I'm just more optimistic than some, despite the disappointing end of 2024.

1] CHAMPIONSHIP UPSIDE? Yes. Thers a lot of talent on the club, there's more on its way up, and what you need to do is be a good team who can compete and get in the playoffs. Disappointment brings about emotional responses. The Twibs have been competitive since this FO took over, despite some poor endings.

2] RESPECTED FO: Absolutely. The players all speak about how much the love being a Twin, and how they are treated. Agents and personnel from other teams have often commented on the respect they have for how the Twins FO is run.

TARGET FIELD AS A DESTINATION AND FAN SUPPORT FOR LOCAL TEAMS: I'm not local. I've, unfortunately, only been to TF once. It was beautiful and all I imagined. When the Twins play well, fans tend to come. They were ravenous in their support for the playoffs in 2023. Again, I'm not local, but that's my outside looking in observation. 

GROWTH OPPORTUNITY AND A DISTRESSED ASSET: I think these are obviously connected. A new owner should be smart enough to see the long view here. Winning the fans back will take time, but doing so will increase attendance as long as the product on the field is in winning competition mode. And while there are obvious questions about revenue right now, if MLB doesn't just drop the ball, streaming and financial growth is the way of now, and the future, and revenues will grow. I liked how MLB stepped up to help supplement teams that were forced to go to streaming in 2023. They may have to continue that going forward, creating a different form of revenue sharing that doesn't include all teams at this point. But there's a really good chance about half the league will be on this new platform come 2026. 

As I stated in the OP about "what I'd do as the new owner" I mentioned bringing in some smart people to find new opportunities for revenue growth and that's going to be paramount to any new ownership. You can grow your own brand outside of the streaming service itself if you're inventive. Sorry, but the Twins have been lazy and short sighted in this regard for some time.

I think the ballpark, roster, MILB system, and FO are all healthy and positives. Any new owner should be pleased, if not ecstatic about what's in place already. The "job" is creating growth of fan support and financial opportunities, which are closely related. Having to really focus on those specific areas vs having to rebuild the organization makes their job a great deal easier.

I'm not worried about someone just looking for a money grab to flip, or a team to move somewhere else. Considering an economy that is still slow, a locked in lease for 15 more years, I don't feel anyone is going to invest in a sports team for any kind of flip or move. They'd be buying because they want to own a professional sports team. There's a lot of other area out there they could find that would potentially offer a bigger short term gain than a future return on a sports franchise.

Additionally, not all owners of teams come from that location. Witness the Wilf family that hails from the east coast...I want to say New Jersey...who bought the Vikings. I rather doubt they were Viking fans who achieved their life long dream. While they are certainly Viking fans NOW, their intent was to be PART of sports ownership. Pretty sure that would be the case here with an out of state owner.

Personally, I think the Twins are a very attractive opportunity for someone who sees what's already there, and future growth potential. 

 

[DocBauer]

4 hours ago, bean5302 said:

The realistic price tag is easier when the owners are in a rush to sell like the Fred Wilpon essentially being forced to sell the Mets due to liquidity issues, and Peter Angelos starting to heavily market the Orioles shortly before his death.

There is no real "need" for the Pohlad family to sell so far as I know. That would place them more into the Arte Moreno and Lerner family category. Still, the Pohlad's are probably more committed to a potential sale.

The Lerner family was divided on selling the Nationals so it makes sense the necessary offer would have needed to be higher to meet their requirements, like a team trading away a highly valued contributor. Arte Moreno is one of the owners who gets deep into the front office side of things meddling around so I think he's probably more attached to the Angels, which also probably inflated any potential selling price. I don't get the feeling there are those conflicts in the Pohlad family.

Just want to say I have ZERO clue about the Pohlad's financial situation. I don't spend any time following them other than in regard to the Twins directly, and various reports I hear once in a while that they've done this or that in the community and the such. (I'm not in Minnesota).

But there's been some speculation about liquidity of their assets in regard to some investments they've sold off, others they've invested in, and is, perhaps, part of the reason they might be looking to sell is to "cash in" on their Twins investment at this time. 

NOT saying this is known, or accurate, but it does feel like a logical possibility at least. 

[FargoFanMan]

7 hours ago, BH67 said:

Two big unknowns per investor desirability are a more equal distribution of MLB media/streaming revenue and a more restrictive salary cap. Both seem necessary for someone who wants to pay $2 billion for the privilege.

But an even bigger obstacle to me is the randomness of success in the MLB playoffs since the field was expanded to 12 teams. Ultimate success in MLB is more prone to chance than in any other North American sport.

Not “chance” at all. Talent and momentum. The team playing the best usually wins. The team with the most talent on the field and not on paper usually gets there. A simple equation known to sports especially baseball since forever. I believe the twins are a great investment. If an owner was willing to invest $50M more in payroll and invest a little bit in the future of the teams streaming platform they could probably 1.5X to 2X this franchise. Thus making it a good investment and maybe bringing home a title of 2.

[Reptevia]

I’m not sold on the roster. Our “Superstars “ have injury issues, and struggle to get to 100 games, and they are past their prime. Many of our “can’t miss” prospects have shown to be pretty ordinary or injury prone. I think the Polhad’s want out because of the reckoning coming to MLB. The gravy train of RSN’s has come to a screeching halt, and streaming will not generate nearly the revenue. There will need to be a real Cap/Floor system implemented and soon if teams not in big markets are to remain competitive. All of this is up in the air, and if the Pohlad’s thought MLB had a good plan going forward, they wouldn’t be looking to sell. 

[FargoFanMan]

1 hour ago, Reptevia said:

I’m not sold on the roster. Our “Superstars “ have injury issues, and struggle to get to 100 games, and they are past their prime. Many of our “can’t miss” prospects have shown to be pretty ordinary or injury prone. I think the Polhad’s want out because of the reckoning coming to MLB. The gravy train of RSN’s has come to a screeching halt, and streaming will not generate nearly the revenue. There will need to be a real Cap/Floor system implemented and soon if teams not in big markets are to remain competitive. All of this is up in the air, and if the Pohlad’s thought MLB had a good plan going forward, they wouldn’t be looking to sell. 

Our “superstars” kinda have injury issues compared to the rest of the league. Most of our superstars are either in their prime or at the edge of their prime( Correa 3.7 WAR in 86 games, Buxton 3.6 WAR in 102 games, Pablo 2.5 WAR in 185IP, Lewis 0.7 WAR in 82 games). Not a complete flop and respectable by most measures. The can’t miss prospects are always that, prospects. If you hit an average player on 3 out of 10 that’s pretty good. Most are serviceable and just had a bad couple months. Other than Lewis all the guys had average seasons as far as games played. Not injury prone. MLB having a “reckoning” seems a bit of a stretch. MLB is maybe behind the curve but their not on the edge of failing. It’s not the NFL but baseball is a global game and still grows every year. They’ll be fine. There will almost certainly never be a Cap/Floor system in MLB. The league is well established(100+years as opposed to the NBA or NFL) to the point where the compensation system would drastically hamstring the big markets to have a cap system. Baseball is fine. That’s why you see the Diamondbacks, Rays, Cleveland, Brewers,  Orioles competing. You can do it without being NY, LA or Chicago. Also, the superstars love getting those huge contracts that they wouldn’t get with a Cap. The fact that people keep saying that baseball isn’t competitive is insane to me. Have you watched anyone other than the Twins in the last 20 years? Or a playoff game in the last 20 years? This is an old sad dead argument. Stop it. Please. It makes you sound stupid. The Pohlads aren’t selling because MLB is failing. The Pohlads aren’t selling because any of this has gone wrong. They’ve made roughly a billion dollars plus in 40 years! I think they’re selling because the Twins are their most attractive asset. Not their worst. Which means your entire argument is completely base.  

[dxpavelka]

I love hearing complaints about ownership "frugality"  Some of us are old enough to remember a world that existed before they bought this team. Some of us are old enough to remember the Twins being the first team to pay player $3 million a season.  Some of us are old enough to remember the Twins being the first team to pay a player $6 million in a season.

[Doctor Wu]

Very good article, and many good responses. Lots of factors at play. Over the weekend I was thinking about the whole idea of selling the Twins, and how realistic this sale will be, and how soon it could happen, I'm no financial analyst or business tycoon so this is all uncharted territory for me. But with all the uncertainty regarding TV and/or streaming packages and revenue, it doesn't seem like a particularly good time to be putting your team on the market. As someone pointed out, unless the price is very affordable, chances are you aren't getting to have a bunch of buyers lining up to buy your baseball team. I will be pleasantly surprised if the team can be sold before the start of next season, but I doubt that will happen. Which means another year of frugality and despair. 

[jmlease1]

17 hours ago, bean5302 said:

The realistic price tag is easier when the owners are in a rush to sell like the Fred Wilpon essentially being forced to sell the Mets due to liquidity issues, and Peter Angelos starting to heavily market the Orioles shortly before his death.

There is no real "need" for the Pohlad family to sell so far as I know. That would place them more into the Arte Moreno and Lerner family category. Still, the Pohlad's are probably more committed to a potential sale.

The Lerner family was divided on selling the Nationals so it makes sense the necessary offer would have needed to be higher to meet their requirements, like a team trading away a highly valued contributor. Arte Moreno is one of the owners who gets deep into the front office side of things meddling around so I think he's probably more attached to the Angels, which also probably inflated any potential selling price. I don't get the feeling there are those conflicts in the Pohlad family.

Peter Angelos wasn't marketing the Orioles before his death; Peter Angelos hadn't been active with the team in years and his diminished health kept him from any kind of decision-making or real role in selling the team. The man was 94 with advanced dementia.

The Pohlads certainly have some real similarities to the Angelos family in that there's a number of them that don't care about baseball and are perfectly happy to exit from this business.

It will be interesting to see who is actually driving the sale; I'm quite confident it won't be Joe Pohlad. Frankly, it's much more likely that Bob Pohlad will be steering things quietly from behind the scenes. He's always been Carl's truest heir to the family businesses; Jim was the official owner of the Twins because he liked baseball the most.

[akmanak]

If you believe that an owner/owners are going to swoop in and unload wheelbarrows full of money to launch this team into the stratosphere, you are diliusinal.

The fact that the owners kept payroll in line with how much revenue they generated shows clearly that they were in line with the norm.

 

When you take the Royals, Tigers and Guardians clearly showing that low payroll teams can make the playoffs it shows that you don't need to overspend. 

 

Lastly, baseball is dying. Look at the statistics of revenue and you clearly see a downward turn.  No future owner is going to bet the farm on a sport that is slowly dying. 

[mluebker]

16 hours ago, Minderbinder said:

I'll make another prediction:  any buyer will be an out-of-town buyer -- no links or fondness for a city that's eating itself -- who will move the team within five years. 

Whether fair or not, it’s true that the view from outside of Minnesota is that Minneapolis is a city with a lot of problems that are getting worse, not better.
 

So despite the Target Field lease having 15 years to run, I can picture someone wanting to acquire a team for another city trying to renegotiate or break that lease. I have no idea what’s in it, but contracts generally include language that allow them to be voided under certain conditions.

[AKTwinsFan]

A shout out to the Lynx who are competing for a title now, I love MN sports! There would have been more attendance if the owners hadn't cut so much from the payroll. When fans hear that they lose hope. 

[USAFChief]

1 hour ago, mluebker said:

Whether fair or not, it’s true that the view from outside of Minnesota is that Minneapolis is a city with a lot of problems that are getting worse, not better.

That's true if one never ventures off right wing propaganda.