# For Sale: Major League Baseball Team, Hasn't Won It All Since 1908 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 2, 2007, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413 "2007-04-02T12:31:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![mazinger\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mazinger\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazinger_z)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/41 "2007-04-03T19:08:28Z")
I, for one, would like to see The World’s Largest Beer Garden put to rest. The urinals alone are enough to make me puke. The Bleacher Bums can have their homo-erotic “charm.” If for the very least, a move would quell traffic congestion and hopefully lower property values. The only room in the city, from what I remember, would either be where the current stadium is now (it’s a dump, but it looks structurally sound, didn’t they do repairs off-season last yera?), or way up Lake Shore Drive or in the South Side (if one were to stay in the city); or possibly out in Schaumburg (it’s very highway accessible and it has different routes to the city, plus it’s pretty close). It can take the place of that eye sore Ikea. Then, we’ll see what true Cub fans remain. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/42 "2007-04-03T21:23:44Z")
[QUOTE=Diceman] Agreed. Now that I’ve gone to a couple of games at Comerica Park, I can see what a total shithole Tiger Stadium was. For me, it was the trough urinals that made the place such a nightmare. For those of you who have never used these fixtures (lucky you), the urinals in question looked like really long sinks, set close to the ground. You stood rubbing elbows with strangers while peeing into what was literally a river of urine. Needless to say, the stench was almost unbearable. Good riddance to the place. [/QUOTE] You think that’s bad? I remember the Kingdome in Seattle having _circular_ “trench” urinals. So taking a leak in a crowd meant a bunch of guys with their junk pointing right at you. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/43 "2007-04-03T22:02:58Z")
[QUOTE=stolichnaya] Regarding the profitability of the Cubs? They are well known to be the most profitable division of the Tribune Co, and the source of much of ithe value of the parent company. They are considered to be among the most profitable clubs in MLB (although such things are difficult to determine) mostly due to the cachet of wrigley, and their cozy TV deal with Tribune subsidiary WGN. If you are looking for a cite on a winning Cubs team being able to print money, it’s difficult for me to find one 🙂 [/QUOTE] A winning Cubs team (defined as being in the postseason) brings about $4 million to the bottom line to the Tribune Company. They are nowhere near close to being the most profitable unit of TTC, and their business segment, Broadcasting and Entertainment, is well overshadowed by their publishing segment ($1.5b in revenues against $4.1b in revenues, $436m in operating profit compared to $759m\*). Of these numbers, the Cubs count for, at most, $249m in revenue, $215m in expenses, and $34m in operating profits. For comparisons sake, the LA Times garnered $1.1b in revenues over the same period. \*Of course, profitability _ratios_ are better with B&E. [Cite](http://www.tribune.com/investors/archive/index_ann.html). ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2007, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/44 "2007-04-03T22:09:10Z")
The reason I say “at most” in the above post is because they lumped the Cubs in with their one radio station, WGN, to create a “Radio and Entertainment” group. And a breakdown of the group by operating units isn’t given. Sorry about that. Edit: > [@FreddyThePig](#): > > Working backward from the anticipated sale price, I’d guess that they clear $20 to $40 million per year with a fair value assigned to the media rights. Good call! ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/45 "2007-04-04T02:28:56Z")
::retreats back under bleachers:: ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/46 "2007-04-04T12:59:09Z")
It ain’t no thang… you just happened to tread upon my favorite area of geekery: reading financial reports. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/47 "2007-04-04T13:48:23Z")
It’s funny, I’ve seen “everybody knows” demolished on this board a thousand times. But I still felt the need to trot it out. Well, this kind of thing happens early in the season. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/48 "2007-04-04T23:29:59Z")
Just say, “Everybody knows the Cubs will be out of the playoffs by August.” No one will disagree with you, then. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/49 "2007-04-05T01:30:54Z")
Apparently i am not the only one who thinks Wrigley Field is a dump. Check out the very first line of Morrissey’s column: [http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/cs-070403morrissey,1,6122762.column?coll=chi-sportscolumnistfront-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true](http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/cs-070403morrissey,1,6122762.column?coll=chi-sportscolumnistfront-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true) ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/50 "2007-04-05T17:42:43Z")
[QUOTE=JohnT] A winning Cubs team (defined as being in the postseason) brings about $4 million to the bottom line to the Tribune Company. [Cite](http://www.tribune.com/investors/archive/index_ann.html). [/QUOTE] The question is, will that be enough of a return on investment for what it is going to cost the Cubs’ new owner to buy the club? Only 30 years ago major league ballclubs were going for approx $10M, more or less. My poor mind boggles at what they go for today. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/51 "2007-04-05T18:20:00Z")
[QUOTE=zamboniracer] The question is, will that be enough of a return on investment for what it is going to cost the Cubs’ new owner to buy the club? Only 30 years ago major league ballclubs were going for approx $10M, more or less. My poor mind boggles at what they go for today. [/QUOTE] > [@](#): > > On January 3, 1973, a group of investors led by Steinbrenner and minority partner Burke bought the Yankees from CBS for $8.7 million[sup][[1][/sup].](http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/411291p-347875c.html) “We plan absentee ownership as far as running the Yankees is concerned,” said Steinbrenner, according to an article in The New York Times reporting on the sale. “We’re not going to pretend we’re something we aren’t. I’ll stick to building ships.” So 34 years ago, what is today the most valuable franchise in North America and generally considered #2 in the World was only $8.7 million. It staggers the mind. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/52 "2007-04-05T18:29:37Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] So 34 years ago, what is today the most valuable franchise in North America and generally considered #2 in the World was only $8.7 million. It staggers the mind. [/QUOTE] That’s not the most memorable part of that excerpt, though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/53 "2007-04-05T19:05:34Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] That’s not the most memorable part of that excerpt, though. 😉 [/QUOTE] You mean the little part where he says he would not interfere in the day-to-day operations of the Yankees, as he knows shipbuilding and not baseball? The ultimate punchline, is it not? Jim ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/54 "2007-04-05T19:08:08Z")
[QUOTE=zamboniracer] The question is, will that be enough of a return on investment for what it is going to cost the Cubs’ new owner to buy the club? Only 30 years ago major league ballclubs were going for approx $10M, more or less. My poor mind boggles at what they go for today. [/QUOTE] Depends. Many times, the “return on investment” in a sports club is the enjoyment received from _owning_ a sports club which has nothing to do with the bottom line. To quote Orson Welles in _Citizen Kane_: “I did lose a million dollars last year. I expect to lose a million dollars this year. I expect to lose a million dollars _next_ year. You know, Mr. Thatcher, at the rate of a million dollars a year, I’ll have to close this place in… 60 years.” ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/55 "2007-04-05T23:46:24Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] If I had a billion or so to spend redoing it, I’d triple the number of women’s restrooms, double the number of men’s, put in an extremely limited number of skyboxes (F\*ck the rich. Make them sit with the rest of us plebes if they want to go to the ballgame!) [/QUOTE] If you had a billion to spend on a ballpark, you would be part of the rich. [QUOTE=Omniscient] Any suggestion that a “modern” park could emulate the existing Wrigley is asinine and fans would never embrace it. I’m sure that they’d sell out for the first season or two, but by the time the shine had wore off they’d be in the same predicament that the White Sox are in. As it stands the stadium sells out for every game regardless of the record. A new facility would require a winning team to fill it. [/QUOTE] Isn’t this a good thing for fans of the team? I think one of the big reasons that the Cubs are such losers is that there’s not enough financial incentive to win. Do you really believe fans would really riot? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2007, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/56 "2007-04-05T23:52:04Z")
[QUOTE=Yookeroo] If you had a billion to spend on a ballpark, you would be part of the rich. Isn’t this a good thing for fans of the team? I think one of the big reasons that the Cubs are such losers is that there’s not enough financial incentive to win. Do you really believe fans would really riot? [/QUOTE] Being rational and being a Cubs fan have never gone together. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/57 "2007-04-06T00:39:47Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] I think you underestimate things. “Probably Backfire” is about as large an understatement as can be made in the English language. We’re talking rioting… [/QUOTE] Ridiculous. Of course there wouldn’t be rioting. > [@](#): > > and some of the most vigorous boycotts one can comprehend. There would be no boycotts of any significance. New Wrigley would sell more tickets than Wrigley, and not just because it’d have more seats. The simple truth is that the new stadium would be much nicer and more pleasant to attend a game in, and people would get used to it, just as they got used to night games there. > [@](#): > > It would be an unmitigated disaster if anyone so much as proposed a “new” Wrigley. It would be a tremendous financial success. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2007, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413/58 "2007-10-01T16:10:28Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] Just say, “Everybody knows the Cubs will be out of the playoffs by August.” No one will disagree with you, then. 😉 [/QUOTE] OMG, I have to EAT MY WORDS!!! \ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-sale-major-league-baseball-team-hasnt-won-it-all-since-1908/398413.md?page=2)