NEWS: Pohlad Family Will Remain Principal Owners of Twins, with New Limited Partners Coming Aboard

[laloesch]

9 minutes ago, howeda7 said:

They would not be able to break the lease, and even if they could MLB is not leaving teams in Tampa, Miami and Sacramento but abandoning the 15th media market.

And if they ever left Minnesota they would loose rights to the Twins franchise name because that was part of the deal when they signed onto Target Field.  That's a big hit to a team with history and championship banners.

[Farmer Stafford]

I mean, at one point this family brought us championships, but now they seem to not care what happens outside their small community. They don't care about the state, the fanbase, or even the status of their name. Just an impression I guess. I can't even hate, I feel more pity since they don't seem to have the emotion to care about something we all else care about together.

[Rhyno006]

This news is gut wrenching, particularly due to the likelihood that the Twins will just continue to be more of the same that we've seen. Low payroll, moving players not under team control or close to it, nickel and diming the franchise to try to make more money, etc. Get ready for more of the same non playoff teams that give us spurts of hope early before awful trade deadlines and poor play make them almost unwatchable.  

I've said it once and I'll say it again- if you're rich enough to own a sports franchise, you own the sports franchise because it's a hobby that will eventually make you more money with the sale of the team.  If you're only in it to make money as a business, this is a perfect example of what you get- bad teams and dwindling attendance. 

Then they have the nerve to wonder why? F the Pohlad family. I will be waiting to see what any new partnerships and investors look like, but until there are new ideas and models that result in a more stable and increasing payroll with an eye towards getting results on the field: 

I'm out.

[laloesch]

12 minutes ago, howeda7 said:

Besides Vegas, the closest thing they have is Portland or Nashville. They're not leaving MSP for those markets.

Don't forget Charlotte.  Charlotte is up over 2 million people now in the metropolitan area and growing rapidly, one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.  In fact within 15 years it's projected to be almost as big as Atlanta.  I lived there for 10+ years, until 2023.  They like their football down there, but the White Sox AAA affiliate there in their new stadium downtown is a smash hit. It fills up to capacity all the time during the season. 

[JADBP]

Yes absolutely the worst news possible from Jo(k)e!

I keep saying the same thing and I can’t possibly understand how new owners would accept this:  the Pohlads built this disastrous dumpster of a team by 1) running up $450 million in debt and 2) destroying the Twins Nation of fandom.  And new co-owners are going to come in and presumably buy down that debt while allowing the same idiots run the team again?  What BS could they have possibly pushed to these new investors to get them to agree to such a deal?  
 

This can only make sense if the new owners have substantial control immediately or a promise of full control when Joe screws it up all over again!  

The level or greed here is astonishing. Earlier posters are right—Joe has ZERO creditability left and the Pohlad family might not be able to rebuild it even if they push Joe aside.  Same for Falvey.  Same for Rocco.  
 

it’s really sad to see the longtime home of Harmon, Tony-O, Puckett, Hrbek, Mauer and so many other great teammates shredded by disgusting ownership!!! 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

20 minutes ago, Musk21 said:

The trades had little to do with saving money, he said, and were not ordered by ownership. “Those were truly primarily baseball decisions,” Pohlad said. “It certainly set us up for more [financial] flexibility, but they were primarily baseball decisions.”

Well the Correa trade was worked out by Pohlad and the Houston owner. I think that was established by a good reporter (can’t remember who). 

But the Duran trade and subsequent other bullpen sells, yes that supports the line of thought that it could only have been Falvey, as the Pohlads aren’t micromanagers like that and don’t make player evaluations. 

[RaoulDuke]

31 minutes ago, Peter said:

I think one of the groups are former twins-Mauer/hunter/mornesu/hawkins/perkins/launder will be part of ownership 

I hate to say it but I think that would lower my opinion of those guys for supporting the Pohlad ownership.

[Peter]

Just now, RaoulDuke said:

I hate to say it but I think that would lower my opinion of those guys for supporting the Pohlad ownership.

I think it’s them-not 100% positive though. 

[AceWrigley]

1 minute ago, laloesch said:

But when they do get there, they will thrive.  Vegas is all about entertainment.  The knights have done great in Vegas, the A's will too.  Oakland had too many challenges and issues for them.  They tried working with the City Council but could never get everything to line up properly.  But I don't want to go into the debate about the financing because that's a whole rabbit hole to get lost in.

Yeah I think Oakland blew it but then, they've lost all their major sports teams so not surprising. They couldn't even figure out how to have the team play there until the move. Really?

Used to stay at the Tropicana when I went to Vegas, now it's gonna be a ballpark. At least it went for a good cause. 🙂

[howeda7]

5 minutes ago, laloesch said:

Don't forget Charlotte.  Charlotte is up over 2 million people now in the metropolitan area and growing rapidly, one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.  In fact within 15 years it's projected to be almost as big as Atlanta.  I lived there for 10+ years, until 2023.  They like their football down there, but the White Sox AAA affiliate there in their new stadium downtown is a smash hit. It fills up to capacity all the time during the season. 

Meh. We already played that game 30 years ago. It would make far more sense to move the Rays or Marlins there or an expansion team.

[Patzky]

1 hour ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Can't wait to see what the returns are for the impending Lopez and Ryan trades...

Pablo Day jerseys proceeds now go to signing 2026 draft picks. Hey Duran took his music so let Pablo take his Jerseys.

[JonLewisFord]

🤮

[laloesch]

4 minutes ago, howeda7 said:

Meh. We already played that game 30 years ago. It would make far more sense to move the Rays or Marlins there or an expansion team.

Yeah.  I was not suggesting the Twins end up there after 2040, which is wayyyy down the line.  I think it's an expansion locale, maybe #2 or #3 on the list, but there's no doubt in my mind Nashville is #1 on that list for expansion locations when MLB FINALLY gets to that point, probably within 5 years.   They've already done a great deal of planning in Nashville for a future stadium, exploring different locations, discussed it with city council, etc., etc.  They've even talked about ownership groups so they are dead serious on getting a team.  I would like to see another midwest team before one on the coasts.

[howeda7]

12 minutes ago, laloesch said:

And if they ever left Minnesota they would loose rights to the Twins franchise name because that was part of the deal when they signed onto Target Field.  That's a big hit to a team with history and championship banners.

Yeah. Relocation is a non-issue with this. I'm not saying it can never happen. But not in the next 15 years.

[howeda7]

29 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

As far as the "debt" is concerned, I'll tell you what I think: I've maintained since TF was built the Pohlads didnt put one red cent into construction costs.

They borrowed their portion from themselves (they own banks, yes?) and their banks earn interest on the Twins tax write off "debt" still unpaid from when TF was built.

There's your debt. 

Possible. But I don't think they actually own banks anymore, that was the old man. And there isn't really any net benefit to playing that game if you own 100% of both entities. 

[Irishman]

Terrible news today!  I am not going to Target Field until the Pohlad family sells the team.  I refuse to spend my money on Twins tickets and souvenirs.  Freaking Pohlad!

Let's band together and boycott the team!  

[howeda7]

12 minutes ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Well the Correa trade was worked out by Pohlad and the Houston owner. I think that was established by a good reporter (can’t remember who). 

 

Reusse said that initially then backed off. But clearly ownership had to sign off on the Correa move. I think the rest were all Falvey pretty much.

[Patzky]

1 hour ago, IndyTwinsFan said:

I suspect that both Falvey and Rocco will now be around for as long as they want to stay.

While I don't wish ill will towards either of them, neither one are what I would consider as astute, in a baseball sense, when it comes to team building and overall team management.  But, it appears as though we'll need to suffer having them around the franchise for sometime to come.

A real mule kick to the gut this news is for any diehard Twins fan (like I am)!

Waiting for another statement from Buxton about his loyalty..

[pierre75275]

Well we know now who the winners and losers were for the Twins trade deadline. 

The winners (in order)

The players traded away

The Pohlads

 

The losers

Everyone else

[pierre75275]

Just now, Patzky said:

Waiting for another statement from Buxton about his loyalty..

Same.

[howeda7]

12 minutes ago, RaoulDuke said:

I hate to say it but I think that would lower my opinion of those guys for supporting the Pohlad ownership.

Mauer is the only former player who is likely to have enough $$ to own anything more than a token %. 

[laloesch]

1 minute ago, howeda7 said:

Possible. But I don't think they actually own banks anymore, that was the old man. And there isn't really any net benefit to playing that game if you own 100% of both entities. 

This is very true. If you control both assets the debt is 100% yours and you can't really leverage it on another entity if you control both.  That's what they did by moving all of that commercial real-estate debt onto the Twins franchise.  They thought they were pulling a fast one on a future buyer and that they would simply accept the debt as part of the purchase price, but they completely miscalculated.  Jim Pohlad is apparently not as smart as the thinks he is.  I have no delusions that Joe Pohlad had any part in that, the kid is barely competent at anything.

[gunnarthor]

Well, I can keep ignoring the Twins, I guess. 

[RaoulDuke]

7 minutes ago, Peter said:

I think it’s them-not 100% positive though. 

If it is them, there is not "significant limited partnership" money between any mix of them.  A couple of them might have 100+ million in the bank. 

So they come on board as a goodwill move to the fan base to basically pay off the Pohlad's debt and keep them in charge.  While I would like the see them involved in some way, that seems like another kick in the nuts.

[howeda7]

1 minute ago, RaoulDuke said:

If it is them, there is not "significant limited partnership" money between any mix of them.  A couple of them might have 100+ million in the bank. 

So they come on board as a goodwill move to the fan base to basically pay off the Pohlad's debt and keep them in charge.  While I would like the see them involved in some way, that seems like another kick in the nuts.

I suspect there is a local group with actual $$ buying ~25% or so and maybe Mauer is in that group but not the the main source of $$. 

[RaoulDuke]

3 minutes ago, Patzky said:

Waiting for another statement from Buxton about his loyalty..

I think Buxton's main motivation is not uprooting his family, not necessarily the high minded loyalty to the franchise.

Dude is happy where he lives and gets paid a ton.

[The Great Hambino]

2 minutes ago, howeda7 said:

I am astounded that they think this is the right move. They have already burned all goodwill they ever had. Stadium and TV revenues will only plummet further. MLB has major issues. There is a lockout pending. The value of this team is as high as it's going to be for the next several  years. The value is only going to go down.

I don't think TV revenues can plummet any further.   Stadium revenues I suppose could, but but that would at least partially be offset by increased revenue sharing.  They're pretty close to their revenue floor.

<Please turn on "Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel while reading this next passage for the full experience>

Now being almost a full season with TwinsTV as the new normal, they have an idea of what future revenues they can expect.  What I think and fear is happening is a gutting of payroll to levels that will maintain their profit margin.   They don't need to try to increase revenue by spending more.  Increased spending involves risk that they they won't increase revenues to offset the additional expense.  From their cynical point of view, why risk that guaranteed profit obtained by slashing salaries?

In other words, the Twins have officially adopted the Pirates' business model.  

I think we Twins fans now are left rooting for a complete re-shaping of baseball's economics in the next CBA.  That's the only thing that could save us from budgetball in perpetuity

[FilthyMogwai]

22 minutes ago, laloesch said:

I doubt it will be that bad.  The Oakland A's were playing in a toilet bowl of a stadium almost as bad as the Metrodome and never got a new one.  They had a good farm system just not the new stadium and surrounding development to spur more interest and 

I'm not referring to the stadium or location. I'm referring to the fact that they lost a lot of fans today. Fan attendance will drop. Payroll will drop accordingly. Free agents won't want to play for owners that blowup teams. Not that they'd sign them anyway. These are steps toward moving a team. 

Go elsewhere, I'm not in the mood to debate with nitpickers today.

[howeda7]

2 minutes ago, The Great Hambino said:

I don't think TV revenues can plummet any further.   Stadium revenues I suppose could, but but that would at least partially be offset by increased revenue sharing.  They're pretty close to their revenue floor.

<Please turn on "Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel while reading this next passage for the full experience>

Now being almost a full season with TwinsTV as the new normal, they have an idea of what future revenues they can expect.  What I think and fear is happening is a gutting of payroll to levels that will maintain their profit margin.   They don't need to try to increase revenue by spending more.  Increased spending involves risk that they they won't increase revenues to offset the additional expense.  From their cynical point of view, why risk that guaranteed profit obtained by slashing salaries?

In other words, the Twins have officially adopted the Pirates' business model.  

I think we Twins fans now are left rooting for a complete re-shaping of baseball's economics in the next CBA.  That's the only thing that could save us from budgetball in perpetuity

They still have linear distribution on most of the same places Bally's is (Comcast/DirecTV etc.), so it could get worse. There is large uncertainty if MLB is going to be able to get enough teams on board to take the full rights to Amazon/Netflix etc. That will likely raise/equalize the media $$ but it might not happen.

[LewFordLives]

Are the new minority partners Irwin Jacobs and Mike Lynn?