Twins Territory received some shocking news this week when the Pohlad family, the longtime owners of the Twins, announced they were exploring a sale of the club.
Billionaire banker Carl Pohlad first bought the team in 1984 from original owner Calvin Griffith, paying $44 million for the franchise, according to MLB Trade Rumors. The same site, citing Forbes’ data, says the team currently is valued at $1.46 billion.
As soon as the news was announced, I checked social media and was stunned to see so many welcoming the potential change of ownership, with most saying a new owner would bring renewed interest and investment. My reaction was quite different, wondering immediately whether a new owner would move the team.
It seems unlikely because the Twins strike me as a plug-and-play type operation. Target Field opened in 2010 and the Triple-A team plays next door in Saint Paul. The team also announced a new radio agreement with WCCO and MLB will now produce TV and streaming services for the Twins.
But let’s not kid ourselves: the history of professional sports is littered with the tears and nightmares of fans who have had to say goodbye to a number of teams over the years. Exhibit No. 1: the Oakland A’s. After 50-plus seasons in the Bay Area, the Athletics are bound for Sacramento to play in some rinky-dink ballpark for a couple of seasons before they move on to Las Vegas. Who wants to root for a team in Vegas? I sure don’t.
And lest we forget where the Twins came from, there also are the Washington Senators, New York Giants, Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Browns, Montreal Expos and even the second version of the Senators pulled up stakes again and moved to Arlington, Texas.
So who are the potential suitors for the Twins?
A few possibilities:
-Glen Taylor: Minnesota billionaire Taylor has stakes in the Timberwolves, Lynx and the local soccer team. He also owns the Star Tribune newspaper.
-Zygi Wilf: The commercial real estate developer bought the Vikings for $600 million in 2005.
-Craig Leipold: Leipold, who founded the telemarketing firm Ameritel Corp., bought the Nashville Predators in 1997, then sold the club a decade later and bought the Minnesota Wild.
-Alex Rodriguez and partners. A-Rod recently made an unsuccessful bid to buy the Timberwolves. Given his background, it might make more sense to own a baseball team than a basketball team.
-Edgar Bronfman, Jr. I say Bronfman because the city of Montreal has long been considered for expansion by MLB. Bronfman’s uncle, Charles, was the original owner of the Expos and his nephew, Edgar, recently made a $6 billion bid to buy Paramount. Although the Bronfmans are no longer associated with the business that made their name — Seagram — they appear to still have the ability to raise some serious amounts of money.
-Phil Knight: I say Knight because Portland, Oregon, is also on that list of cities that have been considered for expansion. Knight is the co-founder of Nike shoes.
-Other possible expansion markets, according to ESPN: Austin/San Antonio, Charlotte, Mexico City, Nashville, Orlando, Raleigh, San Jose, Salt Lake City.
What happens when an MLB team leaves its city of origin? It’s not pretty.
The (Washington, D.C.) Evening Star
“When Cal Griffith, after four years of feinting toward what he believes to be more fertile territory, finally pulled up stakes yesterday and shifted the Senators to Minneapolis, an era ended.
“For 38 of their 60 years the Senators finished in the second division. There was a time when it was considered humorous to say, ‘Washington: first in war, first in peace and last in the American League,’ but the club also had its proud moments.
“They were rare, to be sure, but seldom has a city gone quite as berserk as Washington when the Senators won their only world championship in 1924 by beating the New York Giants in a dramatic seventh game.”
The New York Daily News
“One of the most poorly attended wakes in the history of baseball was held at Ebbets Field last night, where the Dodgers tangled with the Pirates. About 6,000 fans were on hand for the final EF game of the season, and what most probably will be the last game at the Flatbush ballpark for all time. The Dodgers won, 2-0.”
The New York Daily News’ Dick Young
“I am certain, no matter what difficulties he is experiencing at present in his negotiations for a temporary playing site on the Coast, that he will land on his feet. He will do well for Walter O’Malley. He will become very rich and influential.
“They will fawn over him in California as they never did in New York, and he will enjoy it. I am sorry for him at Christmas time; sorry because he is back in New York for the holidays, walking among people who hate him for taking away the Dodgers.”
The New York Daily News
“They had a funeral, with all the trimmings, in Brooklyn yesterday. Dead, and now put to rest, was Ebbets Field, which would have been 47 on April 9. Home of the Robins, Superbas and Dodgers for 45 memorable seasons, Ebbets Field is being razed and will be replaced by a $22,300,000 middle-income housing development. It was bought for that purpose for $3,000,000 by Marvin Kratter after the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles.”
Sources: MLB.com, MLB Trade Rumors, Forbes, ESPN, Newspapers.com