Guardians find new minority owner

Kevalier said:

Interesting (and encouraging) insight on our guy, Blitz.

https://theathletic.com/3067143/202...m-david-blitzer-as-real-salt-lakes-new-owner/

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This is literally the perfect thing to post after the shit I just said haha. Particularly this nugget and this quote from Blitzer himself.

The exact split of their respective shares isn’t known, but sources confirmed that Blitzer, who hasn’t given many interviews in his years as a team owner, will have final say on important club decisions. It’s believed that is the first time the New Jersey native has been confirmed as the final decision maker at any of his various teams.

“I’m a big believer in empowering excellent people to do their jobs really, really well. And we have excellent people here and that makes things a whole lot easier”.

CATS44 said:

Not much.

And that is the point.

Upon the announcement that Blitzer was in talks with Dolan to become a minority owner with the option of becoming the majority owner down the road, expectations of an instant significant increase in payroll sky rocketed.

It didn't work that way with any franchise Blitzer has bought into.

Then, a Minnesota fan wrote an article about how Blitzer could be a game changer in the Central Division, and cited his supposed involvement with the Sixers....along with his supposed track record of cleaning house in front offices and changing cultures.

Pointing out the fact that Blitzers involvement in both the Sixers and Devils didn't mean squat for the records of either team....and that the last things this franchise needs are an overhaul of the F0 and a change of culture...is hardly argumentative.

Its merely statement of fact.

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The assumption by most fans is the Dolans will take the money they have made off a new investor and spend it on payroll, which is what fans understood happened when Sherman bought in. The problem with this assumption is that Blitzer is supposedly just buying the stake that Sherman vacated, so I'm not sure how this 'infuses' money into the franchise for payroll.

What I think fans need to realize is that Blitzer buys into sports teams as an investment, and while this is a motivation for all owners, it appears this is his largest reason, thus why he has partial stakes in at least 7 different franchises. And with a real estate deal being discussed in conjunction, it makes it pretty clear that Blitzer expects a return on this investment... And guys looking for a return don't dump money into payroll. If Dolan is losing money to make a modest payroll, Blitzer isnt going to suddenly spend way more. There has been zero correlation in the last 24 years of increasing payroll boosting revenues for the owner, and he has access to the teams books so it's clear he knows this too. I think folks are setting themselves up for disappointment if they think this means a bump in payroll, which should be going up anyway with the fan ban over.

BimboColesHair said:

This is literally the perfect thing to post after the shit I just said haha. Particularly this nugget and this quote from Blitzer himself.

The exact split of their respective shares isn’t known, but sources confirmed that Blitzer, who hasn’t given many interviews in his years as a team owner, will have final say on important club decisions. It’s believed that is the first time the New Jersey native has been confirmed as the final decision maker at any of his various teams.

“I’m a big believer in empowering excellent people to do their jobs really, really well. And we have excellent people here and that makes things a whole lot easier”.

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Problem is can he become a majority owner in MLB? I know Selig didn't like owners being invested in more than one league in the past and I don't think Manfred would be much different. Also I do hope he does help keep the leadership we have in place stay in place...

macbdog said:

The assumption by most fans is the Dolans will take the money they have made off a new investor and spend it on payroll, which is what fans understood happened when Sherman bought in. The problem with this assumption is that Blitzer is supposedly just buying the stake that Sherman vacated, so I'm not sure how this 'infuses' money into the franchise for payroll.

What I think fans need to realize is that Blitzer buys into sports teams as an investment, and while this is a motivation for all owners, it appears this is his largest reason, thus why he has partial stakes in at least 7 different franchises. And with a real estate deal being discussed in conjunction, it makes it pretty clear that Blitzer expects a return on this investment... And guys looking for a return don't dump money into payroll. If Dolan is losing money to make a modest payroll, Blitzer isnt going to suddenly spend way more. There has been zero correlation in the last 24 years of increasing payroll boosting revenues for the owner, and he has access to the teams books so it's clear he knows this too. I think folks are setting themselves up for disappointment if they think this means a bump in payroll, which should be going up anyway with the fan ban over.

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A lot of baseball's ability to pay players is based off of tickets sales and whatnot so its hard to increase payroll if attendance is in the bottom of the league... if you are bottom ten in attendance expect a bottom ten payroll...

Now that being stated, even though Dolan doesn't end up getting out his checkbook much, over the last ten years, he has been willing to open it up enough now and again to keep this as a contender. I mean we are what number 2 in wins in that period to only the Dodgers I believe so spending money isn't exactly everything. I hate to say it, but when I am running a smart market in OOTP, loyalty to players is hard to do since they often regress after 30, which is free agency time period opens up to players to earn more money. How many expensive/long term contracts with players after 30 have actually worked out well? It's not as often as we hoped, but not all fans look at it that way. They see name and they want to keep name until they retire. They complain if they stink after the extension, but complain if we don't give them one. You don't always win that way...

sportscoach said:

Problem is can he become a majority owner in MLB? I know Selig didn't like owners being invested in more than one league in the past and I don't think Manfred would be much different. Also I do hope he does help keep the leadership we have in place stay in place...



A lot of baseball's ability to pay players is based off of tickets sales and whatnot so its hard to increase payroll if attendance is in the bottom of the league... if you are bottom ten in attendance expect a bottom ten payroll...

Now that being stated, even though Dolan doesn't end up getting out his checkbook much, over the last ten years, he has been willing to open it up enough now and again to keep this as a contender. I mean we are what number 2 in wins in that period to only the Dodgers I believe so spending money isn't exactly everything. I hate to say it, but when I am running a smart market in OOTP, loyalty to players is hard to do since they often regress after 30, which is free agency time period opens up to players to earn more money.

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That has literally never been a problem.

Just look at Reinsdorf and the Bulls, the Ilitch family and the Red Wings, the Henry family and Liverpool, Fisher and his stakes in soccer teams, the Lerners and the Wizards and Capitals.

BimboColesHair said:

That has literally never been a problem.

Just look at Reinsdorf and the Bulls, the Ilitch family and the Red Wings, the Henry family and Liverpool, Fisher and his stakes in soccer teams, the Lerners and the Wizards and Capitals.

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It always felt like to me, Selig always frowned upon owners owning multiple sports teams and he tried to keep any owners out that owned a casino... As long as he actually cares about the organization its irrelevant to me if he is apart of more than one sports league.

BimboColesHair said:

That has literally never been a problem.

Just look at Reinsdorf and the Bulls, the Ilitch family and the Red Wings, the Henry family and Liverpool, Fisher and his stakes in soccer teams, the Lerners and the Wizards and Capitals.

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There are absolutely other owners that have a stake in another professional team. However generally that is 1 other professional team. Blitz will have minority stake in 3 sports teams (from the big 4 professional leagues in the US), plus both euro and american soccer teams, and I believe a AAA team.

I think its a legit question as if MLB will have an issue with this. Especially if he starts becoming the majority owner of these other teams before he tries to become majority owner of the guardians.

bob2the2nd said:

There are absolutely other owners that have a stake in another professional team. However generally that is 1 other professional team. Blitz will have minority stake in 3 sports teams (from the big 4 professional leagues in the US), plus both euro and american soccer teams, and I believe a AAA team.

I think its a legit question as if MLB will have an issue with this. Especially if he starts becoming the majority owner of these other teams before he tries to become majority owner of the guardians.

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I don't think it will be a big deal because he is a minority owner with those, and it's a partnership group that owns them, not him by himself. If he outright was the majority owner of teams in the NBA in Philly, NHL in New Jersey, a soccer team in Europe, a soccer team in the states, and trying to become an outright owner in the MLB in Cleveland I would understand the concerns.

N7RobBob said:

That is the majority of this board. Makes my head spin...

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No it doesn't...

Steve_424 said:

We visited St. Louis and let me tell you, the Ballpark Village is incredible. It would be an absolute game-changer to have something similar in Cleveland.

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As a Ohio transplant that ended in the some how worse state of Missouri, I can tell you that is the only nice thing they have in STL.

LL3 said:

No it doesn't...

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Make my head swim? Or that the there's back and forth for the sake of back and forth? Especially over highly predictive things with very little sources.

BimboColesHair said:

Okay, cool.

So like I said, an argument for arguments sake just to argue with...who exactly?

Dude is a minority owner. He has no say in "cleaning house in front offices and changing culture", he'd get overruled every time. Who cares what some Minnesota Twins fansite said? Who cares what the guy has done as a co-managing partner and minority owner in hockey and basketball and soccer?

There is a reason the Dolan's aren't selling out right ASAP...I'll give you a few chances to figure out maybe why that is.

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Sounds to me like it's merely an investment to him. He offers what money he can with the hope that the returns are good, but what the hell do I know?

CDAV45 said:

Sounds to me like it's merely an investment to him. He offers what money he can with the hope that the returns are good, but what the hell do I know?

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If the guy wants to become the majority owner and is willing to wait for that and go through the process with the Dolan's, it is more than just an investment.

I'd agree if he just wanted to be the minority investor in the dark, but that is not the case. More will come out about the guy to the public in the coming months, Cleveland fans will be thrilled when it does.

BimboColesHair said:

If the guy wants to become the majority owner and is willing to wait for that and go through the process with the Dolan's, it is more than just an investment.

I'd agree if he just wanted to be the minority investor in the dark, but that is not the case. More will come out about the guy to the public in the coming months, Cleveland fans will be thrilled when it does.

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You must have gotten a raise... with guys being promoted lol

sportscoach said:

You must have gotten a raise... with guys being promoted lol

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I am Spartacus.

BimboColesHair said:

If the guy wants to become the majority owner and is willing to wait for that and go through the process with the Dolan's, it is more than just an investment.

I'd agree if he just wanted to be the minority investor in the dark, but that is not the case. More will come out about the guy to the public in the coming months, Cleveland fans will be thrilled when it does.

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That's great to hear. Cleveland fans could stand some good news.