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Gilbert buying Indians soon ?

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http://www.indiansprospectinsider.com/2012/02/tribe-happenings-are-indians-going-up.html

To sell or not to sell

First off, let me just be up front and note that before I get into any of this I am merely speculating. No one from SportsTime Ohio or the Indians has told me anything, I am simply just putting two and two together with some recent events surrounding the Indians.

That having been said, things are starting to get a little interesting with the Cleveland Indians of late. No, not because a new season is on the horizon, but because it looks like there may be some plans in motion to either sell the team or at least take a peek into the market to see who might be interested in buying the team.

Rumors came forth back in July that the Dolan ownership group was taking offers for SportsTime Ohio, their cable TV network and home of over 150 Indians television broadcasts a year. Not surprisingly those rumors have been denied, but where there is smoke there may be fire.

Suddenly in the past week I have been getting emails, texts and calls from all sorts of people with varying connections to me, and they all keep asking the same thing, “Are the Indians being put up for sale?”

I found it odd that with no knowledge of each other that all of these people would suddenly be asking such a question. Something may indeed be up, so here is a brief look at the situation to see if indeed the team could be up for sale.

From the sounds of things, the Dolan ownership may be putting out feelers to potential buyers. While it may not yet be public knowledge that the team is available for sale, the startup process to a long, convoluted process to sell the team may have already started quietly behind the scenes. The new CBA - which has drawn criticism for its unfairness to smaller market teams like the Indians - may be what finally pushed the Dolan ownership into considering offers for the team, and conceivably their cable TV network too.

The best evidence to support a possible looming sale of the Indians is their current payroll structure where not one single player has a guaranteed deal past this season. There are a few players that have club options for the 2013 season and there are some arbitration eligible players, but right now they have absolutely zero commitments in regard to salary for 2013. Nadda. With no long term monetary commitments it would certainly seem to make them more attractive to a potential buyer.

This may also explain what has been a strange offseason where the Indians have been very quiet on the free agent front and limited just about all contract discussions with players to a maximum of two years.

So who could be a potential suitor to buy the Indians? How about Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert?

In addition to the Cavaliers, Gilbert already owns the Lake Erie Monsters minor league hockey team and just recently purchased the arena football team the Cleveland Gladiators. With Quicken Loans Arena chock full of entertainment options between his three teams, he could look to continue to monopolize the sports market in the Cleveland area by purchasing the Indians.

One thing to remember is that before buying the Cavaliers back in 2005, Gilbert had tried to buy the Milwaukee Brewers, so interest in a Major League Baseball team is certainly there. With his new casino opening up later this year in downtown Cleveland, he could look at ways to use his sports teams to tie into it, and having a baseball team in town for 81 games a year might be inviting.

If there ever was an owner that would be a perfect fit for the Indians, it would be Gilbert. Not because he would spend lots of money – I have news for you, his spending will be based on team revenues just like it has with the Dolan’s – but because of the big shadow the Indians would get out from under with the Dolan ownership. I have often shared my feelings how I think Larry and Paul Dolan are misunderstood by the fan base, but Gilbert is a hero in this city right now, and with his money from Quicken Loans, expanding his Flash Seats setup to the Indians, and getting all the teams onto one big giant Cleveland sports network might be too good to be true.

Like I said, it is merely speculation, but with the rumors of SportsTime Ohio being for sale, the Indians very cost-conscious offseason, and Gilbert buying up sports teams in the Cleveland area like a kid in a candy store…anything can happen.
 
That would be sweet.
 
In before Boobie ruins this thread.

I hope it happens though.
 
Yes but would Major League Baseball let Gilbert buy the Indians? If Selig had been replaced, maybe but as old fashioned and stubborn as the old used car salesman is the link between gambling and baseball would be a major issue, one which could block Gilbert as long as Selig remains at the helm

Steinbrenner was forced to sell his race tracks afterall in order to purchase the Yankees, and while it may be 40 years later in the rest of the world, I don't think it is in Seligs
 
If they wouldn't let Cuban buy a team, they won't allow DG.

I'm also not convinced having Gilbert own the Indians would bring such drastic changes as many of you think it will.
 
If they wouldn't let Cuban buy a team, they won't allow DG.

I'm also not convinced having Gilbert own the Indians would bring such drastic changes as many of you think it will.


I actually think this is Cuban's way of getting a team..if he were to say compete for the Indians with Gilbert...suddenly Cuban aligns himself as the more reasonable owner of the two, or at least one without direct ties to gambling

Cuban has tried to get the Dodgers, Cubs and Rangers and struck out. He wants the Pirates, but so far he can't get at the Pirates...would he settle on the Indians instead?
 
I actually think this is Cuban's way of getting a team..if he were to say compete for the Indians with Gilbert...suddenly Cuban aligns himself as the more reasonable owner of the two, or at least one without direct ties to gambling

Cuban has tried to get the Dodgers, Cubs and Rangers and struck out. He wants the Pirates, but so far he can't get at the Pirates...would he settle on the Indians instead?

Aren't Gilbert and Cuban pretty good friends? Could swear I read that somewhere and if that is the case I could see those two combining for an ownership group with Gilbert more of the silent partner in the deal (just a thought)
 
I'm going to focus on the "Indians may get new ownership" part. Hope there's something to it. :thumbup:
 
Would rather Gilbert not buy the Tribe. We cannot rely on Gilbert for everything... Cleveland is lucky to have the Lerner's with the Browns, Gilbert with the Cavs, and Wexner with C-Bius... I'd like to see a separate ownership take over the Tribe and make their mark. But what I really would like to see is Cleveland take advantage of their waterfront and develop the hell out of it...


Want to turn around Cleveland, develop the downtown waterfront, bring businesses back and make people want to live downtown. The faster downtown gets rebuilt the easier it will be for a new group to take over the Dolans...

Casinos are not going to help...
 
Would rather Gilbert not buy the Tribe. We cannot rely on Gilbert for everything... Cleveland is lucky to have the Lerner's with the Browns, Gilbert with the Cavs, and Wexner with C-Bius... I'd like to see a separate ownership take over the Tribe and make their mark. But what I really would like to see is Cleveland take advantage of their waterfront and develop the hell out of it...


Want to turn around Cleveland, develop the downtown waterfront, bring businesses back and make people want to live downtown. The faster downtown gets rebuilt the easier it will be for a new group to take over the Dolans...

Casinos are not going to help...

Surprisingly, I've read that 95% of downtown apartments are filled. Seems there are plenty of people living downtown, but very few coming in from the suburbs due to lack of shopping options, terrible parking options and preople moving farther and farther out to the outer ring suburbs where it is impractical to travel downtown for dinner/entertainment regularly.
 
Cuban and Gilbert buying the Indians would be huge....4 billion dollars of net worth. They could easily spend the money to put talent on the field and butts in the seats in Cleveland
 
LOL

Chances of this happening, are about negative. Give up the dream.
 
LOL

Chances of this happening, are about negative. Give up the dream.
to be fair, the impending casino only increased the chances of him attempting to buy the indians. still a dream, but at least now it's more likely.
 
I guess I need to be the one to point out that Dolan raised no objections recently to the new CBA, and he voted FOR extending Bud Selig's contract with MLB, both of which effectively say that he (and virtually every other owner in baseball) has no issue with the current revenue structure. I believe the reason that he has no contract beyond two years is because A) he was burned by the extensions of Westbrook and Hafner; B) the multi-year contracts in baseball are getting out of hand and are difficult for a small market team to compete with regardless of ownership; and C) most of his roster is arbitration eligible this year, next year, and the year after, and those cases are typically handled year-by-year (while at the same time, his last round of longer contracts is winding down). Surprised to see Lastoria stoking the fire like this.
 
Surprisingly, I've read that 95% of downtown apartments are filled. Seems there are plenty of people living downtown, but very few coming in from the suburbs due to lack of shopping options, terrible parking options and preople moving farther and farther out to the outer ring suburbs where it is impractical to travel downtown for dinner/entertainment regularly.
And about 50% of those are occupied by Indian and Middle Eastern residents...
 

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