ARod is buying the T'Wolves

ifmanis5

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View: https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1381018832094003204

Former Major Leaguer Alex Rodriguez and billionaire Marc Lore are finalizing a deal to purchase the Minnesota Timberwolves from majority owner Glen Taylor, sources tell ESPN. Taylor will continue full control of team for two years before Rodriguez and Lore take over in 2023.
Statement from ARod and Lore: “We look forward to entering this phase of the process with Glen Taylor. Our respect for him and the legacy he has built lays an amazing foundation for what is to come. We are excited by the prospect of getting to know the Timberwolves organization..
“....the talented team and their incredible fans.”

Consolation prize for not getting the Mets? Good news is that awful owner Taylor is leaving the sport.
 

HowBoutDemSox

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Neither has any connection to Minnesota that I can tell. There’s reportedly a $50 million penalty if they break the lease at the Target Center, which seems like small potatoes in the grand scheme of buying an NBA team. Wonder if they have plans to move the franchise somewhere?
 

Kenny F'ing Powers

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This is...weird. What is Lore doing here?
Making money.

NBA may slow or get stagnant over the next few years, but the growth pattern for the sport is significantly more hockey stick shaped than any other sports.

If you're buying football, non-US soccer, or baseball teams, you're buying high. The NBA hasnt sniffed its max popularity yet.
 

BigSoxFan

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Making money.

NBA may slow or get stagnant over the next few years, but the growth pattern for the sport is significantly more hockey stick shaped than any other sports.

If you're buying football, non-US soccer, or baseball teams, you're buying high. The NBA hasnt sniffed its max popularity yet.
I was talking about bringing ARod on in a sport he is not an expert in.
 

BigSoxFan

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Magic owns the Dodgers. They are just a face, though I'm not sure why you'd want A Rod's face attached to anything.
Yeah, that was my point. If you want a face, there are a million better options. Just feels like a power struggle waiting to happen given ARod’s personality and strong desire to run a team.
 

mauidano

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Yeah, that was my point. If you want a face, there are a million better options. Just feels like a power struggle waiting to happen given ARod’s personality and strong desire to run a team.
Ego. Pure ego for the narcissistic A-Rod. He obviously does not need the money or the headaches.
 

BigSoxFan

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Ego. Pure ego for the narcissistic A-Rod. He obviously does not need the money or the headaches.
Yeah, I get why ARod does it, I just don’t understand why a successful businessman would want him part of it unless he REALLY needs the equity cash that ARod is bringing to the table. But can’t imagine it’s a significant amount.

As you mention, he has a huge ego, zero connection to the area, and no connection to the sport. He’s a recognizable face and that’s about it. Seems like a lot more downside than upside here but what do I know.
 

nolasoxfan

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I'd love it if the plan is actually to move the team to Seattle, if only because that city never should have lost the Sonics. And I guess A-Rod must have some connections there.
Kind of unfair to Minneapolis, though, right?
I’m all for getting an NBA team back in Seattle, but not at the expense of Minneapolis or any other city.
 

ekim colorwaterpit

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Yeah, I get why ARod does it, I just don’t understand why a successful businessman would want him part of it unless he REALLY needs the equity cash that ARod is bringing to the table. But can’t imagine it’s a significant amount.

As you mention, he has a huge ego, zero connection to the area, and no connection to the sport. He’s a recognizable face and that’s about it. Seems like a lot more downside than upside here but what do I know.
I live in MN and my office is right next to the Target center. I would imagine ARod is bringing some relevance. Minnesota can't attract anything for players and they will forever struggle to get players here. They need someone like Arod to be the face of the franchise. Not sure it will change things, but it will give them a better shot than Taylor.
 

benhogan

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yea, Vegas is my original thought. Impossible to draw NBA stars to Minn

Glen Taylor takes the hit for sucking the next few seasons while they grab future prospects. I wouldn't be shocked to see Kat and DLo dealt this Summer
 

Cesar Crespo

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yea, Vegas is my original thought. Impossible to draw NBA stars to Minn

Glen Taylor takes the hit for sucking the next few seasons while they grab future prospects. I wouldn't be shocked to see Kat and DLo dealt this Summer
Would anyone want DLo?
 

Cesar Crespo

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Hell, maybe there's a DLo for Kemba trade that could work. Assuming Kemba doesn't opt out, they are both signed for the next 2 years.
 

CoffeeNerdness

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Yeah, I get why ARod does it, I just don’t understand why a successful businessman would want him part of it unless he REALLY needs the equity cash that ARod is bringing to the table. But can’t imagine it’s a significant amount.

As you mention, he has a huge ego, zero connection to the area, and no connection to the sport. He’s a recognizable face and that’s about it. Seems like a lot more downside than upside here but what do I know.
I think you're maybe underestimating A-Rod a bit? He has to be one of the most prominent and recognizable retired athletes of recent vintage, especially since Kobe has passed. I think in the neutral, non-Boston markets he's pretty highly regarded. If I was a T-Wolves fan, I'd be happy to have his name associated with the franchise (except for the franchise moving angle).
 

TripleOT

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Tampa is the 11th largest TV market in the country, slightly bigger than Seattle and Minny, and over twice bigger than Vegas.

It would be a lot easier to draw good players to Tampa than Minnesota. Also, it would be so unfair to the great Twolves fan base, like what happened to Seattle.

With a reported proposed expansion fee of $2.5 billion, that $1.5 billion sale price seems low, but compared to the $1.7b for the Jazz and their arena, may be market price.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Neither has any connection to Minnesota that I can tell. There’s reportedly a $50 million penalty if they break the lease at the Target Center, which seems like small potatoes in the grand scheme of buying an NBA team. Wonder if they have plans to move the franchise somewhere?
Bingo right here. I feel sorry for Timberwolves fans and my Minnesota friends. My former employer was based out of Chanhassen and a group of them took us to Target Center one night. The team sucked but the fans loved their team.....and the girls in our group all loved Luke Ridnour.
 

BigSoxFan

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I think you're maybe underestimating A-Rod a bit? He has to be one of the most prominent and recognizable retired athletes of recent vintage, especially since Kobe has passed. I think in the neutral, non-Boston markets he's pretty highly regarded. If I was a T-Wolves fan, I'd be happy to have his name associated with the franchise (except for the franchise moving angle).
Think you’re probably right that’s the angle. My fear is that the franchise moving angle that people here have mentioned may be part of the plan. And then ARod certainly makes even more sense, like if they go to Vegas or something.
 

the moops

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I can't imagine a scenario where the NBA allows any owner to leave Minneapolis. Not sure why a former professional player needs to have a connection to the city in which he has a stake in ownership. There are very few options available for someone interested
 

Ale Xander

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I would pay serious money for the move to be to New Jersey. (Will never happen, but I can dream)
 

HowBoutDemSox

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I can't imagine a scenario where the NBA allows any owner to leave Minneapolis. Not sure why a former professional player needs to have a connection to the city in which he has a stake in ownership. There are very few options available for someone interested
It’s not that they need to have connections to the city, but if the new ownership isn’t motivated by some kind of sentimental, non-monetary reason to remain in the city, and there’s a financial gain to be made moving to a new city in a larger market where they can extract larger TV contracts, why wouldn’t they? The league didn’t force the team to remain in Seattle, and ultimately the owners will want what brings in more cash overall, I bet they cut a deal like they did with the Sonics, if it comes to that.
 

edoug

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Over/Under on the number of games Arod will go to make an appearance between Nov. and March?
 

Beomoose

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Kind of unfair to Minneapolis, though, right?
I’m all for getting an NBA team back in Seattle, but not at the expense of Minneapolis or any other city.
By and large I don't want cities to lose their teams, but I'd drag the Thunder out of OKC and send them back to be the Seattle Supersonics. And I'd laugh while doing it.
 

Devizier

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Seattle and TB are barely larger markets though. I would think if SEA is in play, OKC and MEM would be the teams to worry.
Seattle makes sense not because it is particularly large, but because it is very wealthy, pretty much on par with Boston.

The Twin Cities are awesome, but the Wolves are just not a huge draw. And the metro area is massive, as the crow flies.
 

Leather

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Seattle makes sense not because it is particularly large, but because it is very wealthy, pretty much on par with Boston.

The Twin Cities are awesome, but the Wolves are just not a huge draw. And the metro area is massive, as the crow flies.
The Twin Cities are the 7th wealthiest metro area, by per capita income, and there’s a plethora of Fortune 500 companies in the area, so wealth isn’t the issue. And the metro size isn’t that big, geographically; it basically extends 20 minutes on the highway in all directions like a wheel. Boston’s metro area is much bigger, for instance, and Minneapolis has none (well, much less) of the traffic issues that many cities do because there’s no natural boundaries like an ocean to deal with. People go to Twins, Wild, and Vikings games just fine. Heck, the Minnesota Lynx have the third highest average WNBA attendance, after LA and Phoenix.

The team doesn’t draw because the team sucks, pure and simple. The last time they were competitive (2003-2005), they were in the teens in terms of attendance rank. This has nothing to do with Minnesota and everything to do with the fact that the team has been absolute dogshit for almost 20 years.
 
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Mystic Merlin

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In what stadium? To compete with the Knicks and Nets?

NY is not the sports mecca it used to be (or in more recent history, that it was perceived to be). There are greener pastures from a financial perspective, arguably including Minny-St. Paul.
 

benhogan

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In what stadium? To compete with the Knicks and Nets?

NY is not the sports mecca it used to be (or in more recent history, that it was perceived to be). There are greener pastures from a financial perspective, arguably including Minny-St. Paul.
Yea to attract NBA (really any sport) superstars it's a good idea to go somewhere warm, with tax advantages, is a young/diverse/fun city, and most importantly has a chance to immediately win titles.
 

bsj

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Yea to attract NBA (really any sport) superstars it's a good idea to go somewhere warm, with tax advantages, is a young/diverse/fun city, and most importantly has a chance to immediately win titles.
I mean...I generally agree but Brooklyn is somehow figuring it out