Why are MLB owners so scared of Mark Cuban?
Long-time Cubs fan (and billionaire) Tom Ricketts is the winning bidder for the Chicago Cubs and if the sale goes through (which would also include a 25 percent interest in a regional sports network), he would buy the club from the Tribune Co. for around $900 million.
Woo-ho.
Ricketts seems like a solid choice considering he’s a long-time fan and would likely try a hell of a lot harder than the Tribune Co. did in putting a winner on the field. (Outside of the years when the Tribune spent money on free agents in efforts to up the value of the club so they could eventually sell it, of course.)
But Ricketts is not Mark Cuban.
Had Major League Baseball allowed Cuban to buy the Cubs, he would have stopped at nothing to put a winner on the field. He wouldn’t have gone through years of mediocrity before trying to build a World Series contender – he would have tried to win from Day 1.
So the question becomes: Why are baseball owners so petrified of Cuban? He would presumably bring excitement to the game, he would challenge the Yankees in terms of spending and he would be a hero in Chicago, which oh-by-the-way is the type of big city market that baseball would love see make the World Series on a consistent basis so TV ratings would skyrocket.
I’ve always been under the assumption that owners didn’t want Cuban the owner because he would challenge the Yankees and therefore, smaller market teams wouldn’t make as much off the luxury tax as they would if the Bombers spent big all the time. But thanks to TSR teammate John Paulsen (who did a quick Google search because my dumbass didn’t think to), I realized that the money from the luxury tax (also called the ‘Competitive Balance Tax’) isn’t distributed to smaller market teams to promote competitive balance.
So therefore, it doesn’t matter if Cuban came in and spent as much as the Yankees because smaller market teams get paid from baseball’s revenue sharing program, which is completely independent from the luxury tax. (In fact, it would help smaller market teams if the Cubs’ revenue was close to the Yankees’ because they would get a bigger cut from the revenue sharing program.)
If owners keeping Cuban out has nothing to do with the luxury tax payout, then again – why treat him like the Ebola Virus? Below are two opinions as to why. There are probably more, but in my opinion, none bigger than the two below.
1. Baseball has become the “good ol’ boy” network in terms of its owners. Change is bad. And Mark Cuban owning the Cubs would be the epitome of change – radical change. He does everything first class with the Mavericks and he would presumably do the same with the Cubs. He would upgrade Wrigley Field, treat the players like kings and probably sit right behind home plate so he’s within earshot of the umpire. Baseball owners don’t want a young, hip outsider coming in and having the media focus be on him and the way he does things. He would rock the boat every chance he got, just like he does now in the NBA. Owners are supposed to sit in their seats or boxes and watch from afar. They’re not supposed to be in your face and as recognizable as Cuban is in the NBA.
2. MLB teams already have their hands full trying to keep up with the Yankees every offseason. If Cuban buys the Cubs, he would compete with the Evil Empire and drive up the price for free agents even more. The player’s union would love for Cuban to buy the Cubs, but the owners would rather deal with one monster than two. (Granted, the Mets and Red Sox compete with the Yankees’ spending on a consistent basis, too, but nothing compared to what Cuban would presumably do.)
Some might note that the owners also don’t want to be associated with someone, who, in November of last year was accused of insider trading. But don’t forget that Cuban was being turned away by MLB owners well before the SEC report came to light. And by the way, Cuban would have paid $1.3 billion for the Cubs, which is a good bit more than the $900 million Ricketts is ready to dole out. So it has nothing to do with money.
The bottom line is that baseball is seemingly making a mistake. Cuban would do a lot for the Cubs’ organization and baseball on a whole, but for whatever reason he’ll never have the chance to become an owner. It’s sad really, because in the end, baseball fans are the ones who suffer the most.
Follow the Scores Report editors on Twitter @TheScoresReport. You can also follow TSR editor Gerardo Orlando @clevelandteams and @bullzeyedotcom, and you can follow TSR editor Anthony Stalter @AnthonyStalter.
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Tags: Anthony Stalter, Baseball hates Mark Cuban, Baseball locks out Mark Cuban, Baseball locks out Mark Cuban from buying Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Luxury tax in baseball, Mark Cuban, Mark Cuban baseball owner, Mark Cuban Cubs, Mark Cuban Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban the baseball owner, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Owners hate Mark Cuban, Tom Ricketts, Tom Ricketts Chicago Cubs, Tom Ricketts new owner Chicago Cubs, Why baseball doesn’t want Mark Cuban, Why can’t Mark Cuban buy Cubs
Where does the luxuary tax money go if not to the other Teams is my first question? I have always understood that it does..Call it whatever you want luxuary or competitive balance I dont care it gets to them.
The bottom line is that those dollars do go to the other Teams who for the most part count it as revenue. Mark Cuban would have added to the bottom line of other Teams in terms of dollars but
he brings other baggage with him.
I think that you are right on by saying that the good old boys don’t want him in their little cartel and you can thank David Stern for the bad mouthing of Mark Cuban for that.
This isnt about the Yankee getting competion….it’s about the other owners having to spend some of their own money and they don’t like that. As long as George is spending his money and not theirs…it’s all good.
If there were a salary cap the Cubans and the Steinbrenners would be under control. The Luxury tax is a joke no matter how or who gets it. It isn’t enough to scare the yankees right now anyway is it ? They laugh it off and buy more. AND – the amount of money isn’t beans to each individual small market team. C’mon, they will not be competitive with the yankees with that split up luxury tax money. What would that buy them one $12 million player ? All the yankees make that much don’t they ? Just cap the dang sport and teams can’t go wild.
And just for the record, I don’t put the Mets,Tigers and Red Sox in the same atmosphere as the yankees spending $60-80 million less. Let’s understand the yankees have been outspending others BY FAR since 1973. Nobody else is close. It’s their league, driven by two people, GM’s, (CASHman) and Agents, (Boras).
No small market teams can never catch up with the yankees running wild setting rediculous standards in salaries by each position. Sure, a team like Tampa gets lucky, or there is a dream that your team will be this years Cinderella. But thats crap. Why not competitive balance like the NFL ? It’s a no brainer folks.
Do you want to see these rediculous prices for players ? And, when you actually go to a game ? How about when you want to resign a good player on your team ? And he asks for the same amount of money the yankee guy gets at that position ? OPPS – he’s gone. But CASHman will have the money. Also, the yankees never lose any of their ballplayers when their contracts are up, only if they let them. Can you say that about your team ?
Guess who has the first and last call for every WANTED fee agent ? The yankees. I think people other than yankee fans are tired of it.
Isn’t it obvious smart sports guys of the world the yankees have a distinct finacial,economical,resourcefull advantage over everyone else ? The yankees didn’t want Cuban – they like to control things the way they are now.
Go Arizona Cardinals
Here’s a little different take. From an ownerships standpoint, Cuban is the face of the NBA and is a perfect fit for the “hey look at me because I didn’t get enough attention as a kid” style of that league. I don’t think MLB ownership would welcome that kind of loose cannon running a team. Granted they’ve had to deal with Steinbrenner’s antics all these years, but at least he did it away from the field of play. Cuban will undoubtedly end up in the dugout and pay whatever fines they levy on him for it. If by bringing excitement to the game you mean he’ll run out on the field, push his manager out of the way to argue with the umpires himself, then yes I agree. His act isn’t very exciting, but ESPN seems to love it, which is all you need to know.
MLB has other problems and doesn’t need to become more of a professional sports circus…the NBA can keep that honor to itself.
Good stuff Mr T-Bone,
I am not so sure about the “Steinbrenners kept it off the field” part though. That organization has flaunted their drama on and off the field since 1973.
Anyway – Can you imagine Cuban in the NBA without a Cap ? Ugh …
In my opinion, the best organizations will rise to the top with or without a Cap.
I would have loved for someone like Cuban to challenge the yankees if we are to continue in this screwed up MLB financial structure.Cuban would have been fun.He is not boring and methodical.
Jerry Reinsdorf hates Mark Cuban, and will never let him crash the party. I think Cuban keeps bidding for teams just to drive Reinsdorf crazy.