It hasn't exactly been a secret that current Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has long been interested in owning the Chicago Cubs. Whether he's sitting in the bleachers downing beers with the fans, or next to the Cubs dugout with the Tribune Company brass, Mark has made his intentions pretty clear.The only question is whether or not Bud Selig and his buddies would ever allow Cuban to enter their exclusive fraternity of stuffy old white guys. It doesn't seem likely, so if Mark is going to have a real shot, he's going to have to blow away every other bidder for the team. Word on the street is that Cuban has already put in the biggest offer for the team, as he pulled $1.3 billion out of his pocket and put it on the table.
Cuban is reported to be the top bidder, at nearly $1.3 billion, but the auction will begin soon, after the applicants and their bankers delve further into the assets books.
"The Cubs are an amazing franchise and brand," Cuban wrote in an e-mail message. "I think the owner of any major sports franchise has two jobs: first, it's to work hard to win a championship year after year, and second, to be the caretaker of the franchise in the community."
Did You See That?
In this photo provided by the USGA, a black bear runs across the 13th fairway during the second round of the 2008 U.S. Senior Open Championship at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Friday, August 1, 2008. (AP Photo/ USGA, John Mummert) ** PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE USGA, FOR ONE TIME USE ONLY, NO SALES, FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY **
John Mummert, USGA / AP
U.S. Olympic basketball team center Dwight Howard makes a slam dunk during a match against Lithuania in Macau, Friday, Aug. 1, 2008. (Kin Cheung, AP)
Kin Cheung, AP
Green Bay Packers safety Atari Bigby rides a small borrowed bicycle a block from Lambeau Field to Clark Hinkle Field for training camp in Green Bay, Wisconsin August 1, 2008. (Allen Fredrickson, Reuters)
Allen Fredrickson, Reuters
Danny Way flips around after hitting the coping while coming down on the quarter pipe during the Skateboard Big Air Finals at the X-Games on Thursday, July 31, 2008, inside the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Way was helped off the ramp, then later returned to win the silver medal. (Sean DuFrene, AP)
Sean DuFrene, AP
Carolina Panthers coaches and team members work to separate Steve Smith and Ken Lucas during an altercation on the sideline in the morning session of training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Friday, August 1, 2008. (David T. Foster III. Charlotte Observer/MCT)
David T. Foster III, Charlotte Observer/MCT
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Chris Snyder celebrates after tagging out Los Angeles Dodgers' Andre Ethier as he tried to score on a hit by Matt Kemp during the eighth inning of their Major League Baseball game, Thursday, July 31, 2008, in Los Angeles. The Diamondbacks won the game 2-1. (Mark J. Terrill, AP)
Mark J. Terrill, AP
Michelle Larcher de Brito of Portugal reacts after losing a point during her match against Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament in Montreal, July 31, 2008. (Christinne Muschi, Reuters)
Christinne Muschi, Reuters
New York Mets starting pitcher Mike Pelfrey delivers against the Florida Marlins during first inning National League baseball action in Miami, Florida July 30, 2008.(Hans Deryk, Reuters)
Hans Deryk, Reuters
Maria Sharapova, of Russia, gets medical treatment to her shoulder in her winning match against Poland's Marta Domachowska during second round action at the Rogers Cup tennis match Wednesday, July 30, 2008 in Montreal. Third-seeded Maria Sharapova withdrew from the Rogers Open after her second-round victory Wednesday because of a shoulder injury, possibly jeopardizing her participation at the Beijing Olympics. (Jacques Boissinot, The Canadian Press/AP)
Jacques Boissinot, The Canadian Press/AP
Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, left, argues with third base umpire Brian Gorman, right, after first base umpire Rob Drake ejected Piniella during the ninth inning of their baseball game against the Florida Marlins at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Saturday, July 26, 2008. (Charles Rex Arbogast, AP)
Charles Rex Arbogast, AP
Well, if the starting offer for the team is $1.3 billion, who knows how high it will go before the team is sold. Though it's important to note that the highest bidder doesn't always win. We learned this most recently when John Henry was awarded the Boston Red Sox even though he didn't put up the most money.
Which is exactly why I don't see any way that Bud Selig and MLB will sell the Cubs to Cuban. Sure, he'd do everything in his power to turn the team into a perennial powerhouse, and increase revenues for everybody around the league, but his personality just doesn't mesh with what Selig wants in an owner (and by personality I mean he's not one of Bud's good friends).
Selig takes enough heat as it is from the media and fans alike, and the last thing he's going to want is one of the owners calling him out on a regular basis like Cuban does to NBA commissioner David Stern.
Latest MLB Photos
Chicago Cubs' Jim Edmunds, right, celebrates his solo home run against the Milwaukee Brewers with Geovany Soto, left, in the third inning of a baseball game Thursday July 31, 2008, Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Darren Hauck)
AP
Chicago Cubs' Jim Edmunds watches his solo home run against the Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning of a baseball game Thursday July 31, 2008, Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Darren Hauck)
AP
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Dave Busch pitches to the Chicago Cubs in the first inning of a baseball game Thursday July 31, 2008, Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Darren Hauck)
AP
Milwaukee Brewers' Prince Fielder runs to first as he grounds out to the Chicago Cubs in the second inning of a baseball game Thursday July 31, 2008, Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Darren Hauck)
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Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Rich Harden pitches to the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning of a baseball game Thursday July 31, 2008, Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Darren Hauck)
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Cleveland Indians' Fausto Carmona pitches to Detroit Tigers' Curtis Granderson in the first inning during a baseball game Thursday July 31, 2008, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
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Detroit Tigers' Justin Verlander pitches to Cleveland Indians' Grady Sizemore in the first inning during a baseball game Thursday July 31, 2008, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
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Cleveland Indians' Fausto Carmona pitches to Detroit Tigers' Curtis Granderson in the first inning during a baseball game Thursday July 31, 2008, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
AP
Detroit Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson, left, makes a running catch to get out Cleveland Indians' Franklin Gutierrez while running into right fielder Matt Joyce in the third inning during a baseball game Thursday July 31, 2008, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
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Detroit Tigers' Justin Verlander pitches to Cleveland Indians' Grady Sizemore in the first inning during a baseball game Thursday July 31, 2008, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
AP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-03-2008 @ 1:55PM
terry said...
fraternity of stuffy old white guys
Damn those stuffy old white guys!!! Right,Tommy..but some how if someone called the Nba a collection of arrogant black guys you would be the first to yell I bet..so it goes and so it goes..such is the price to work for Time Warner I guess
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8-03-2008 @ 2:33PM
John said...
Stuffy old white guys ? Damn that almost sounds a bit of a stereotype. Sounds like "Uncle"Tom is ringing a golden bell for Robert Johnson instead. Cuban is good for the sport because is a regular guy
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8-03-2008 @ 3:01PM
ralphgmiami said...
The Cubs deserve an owner who wants to win. I'm a loyal Yankee fan. I'm glad that the Steinbrenners own the Yankees as they want to win. GO YANKEES! Miami, Florida, loves the Yankees as there are a million former New Yorkers living in Miami. Heck, there are more Mets, Red Sox, Phillies, Cubs fans than Marlins fans in South Florida.
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8-03-2008 @ 5:40PM
Mark said...
If that lefty, egomaniac buys the Cubs, I will throw 50 years of allegiance away and never watch another game as long as I live. When you use your money to make an anti-military movie (which totally flopped) you can kiss this fan good bye! Screw Cuban, screw the Mavericks and now if he wins screw the Cubs. Baseball is a great game, but my country and our military are way more important than a kids game played by so-called adults. He can buy anything he wants with his billions, but he can't buy class and patriotism.
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8-04-2008 @ 2:57AM
Cheryl said...
Gee Mark. Let me guess? You're a stuffy old white guy?..... I thought so.
8-04-2008 @ 7:25AM
Ken Sula said...
I agree 100 % , but I would find it hard to give up 58 + years of the Cubs being " my " team ? Cuban is a scum bag # 1 !
8-05-2008 @ 6:28AM
buddy said...
gee mark,movies are not real.i spent 36 months in nam,was wounded,are you going to say i'm not patriotic?grow up mark,there is no real mighty mouse out there,just like the movies.go to the white sox,i'm sure they will gladly welcome you.they need fans.semper fi
8-03-2008 @ 6:07PM
carmelo acevedo said...
dang, thats alot of mula...imagine what the yanks are worth. screw selig, if cuban makes that offer and is spurned for a lesser bid then he should sue the hell out of selig and MLB
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8-03-2008 @ 6:14PM
Michael said...
Cuban is the perfect owner for the Cubs. He, like most Cubs fans, is a spoiled, whining, egomaniacal, classless, loud-mouthed, lout. He'll fit right in with that bunch of drunks.
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8-03-2008 @ 6:36PM
Mike said...
Cuban should not be the owner of the Cubs. He should be the owner of his hometown team the Pirates. There are very few teams who need an owner with the deep pockets of Cuban more than the Buccos. I believe he made an offer for them a few years back but then majority owner Kevin McClatchy turned him down - for no apparent good reason other than his pride. With the nicest ballpark in the majors Cuban could have provided a winning franchise to a city who so desperately deserves one.
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8-03-2008 @ 8:28PM
Todd said...
Nicest ballpark in the majors? You gotta be kidding me. I've been to a lot of parks and Pittsburgh's new park is middle of the pack. It's very small and plain. What about it is so nice?
I'm sure most reasonable Cubs fans would love to have Cuban as an owner. He certainly couldn't do a worse job than what they've had for decades. The guy has proven that he'll do what it takes to win and that he has a healthy enthusiasm and spirit supporting his teams. I think he'd work really well in Chicago. I wish a guy like him would own some of my teams.
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8-03-2008 @ 8:15PM
Gregg said...
I have been a CUB fan for over 50 years. I hope Mark CUBan will be the next owner of the CUBS.
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8-03-2008 @ 9:03PM
Highlander said...
Mark Cuban is an American traitor and a self-indulgent idiot. He bankrolled the anti-military film, "Redacted," (a film Michael Medved said "might be the worst movie I've ever seen") and wants to further the release of a movie that tries to show 9-11 as an inside job. Yeah, that's the guy I want owning one of the 5 most famous and important sports franchises in America. Wake up, Bud Selig. Let him while away his miserable life whining about the officials in Dallas as another of his Maverick teams underachieves.
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8-04-2008 @ 12:14AM
Bob said...
Mark would be great for the CUBS. He is exciting. If he is the highest bidder and Buddie Boy gives it to one of his cronies, then both Cuban and Sam Zell should sue MLB. And Congress should remove their anti-trust exemption and mak the playing field even
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8-03-2008 @ 9:23PM
Todd said...
I don't think you understand what "traitor" means. I'm sure from his point of view, he's being a patriot. Allowing dissent is what America is all about. Maybe you should learn a little bit more about history and not be so bitter and hostile towards people who don't share your views.
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8-03-2008 @ 9:30PM
Jackie from Lower Eastside said...
I think Cuban is a good look for the Cubs. Selig just wants his way. Screw him, I'm a Yankee Fan and I'm glad the Stienbrenners have a winning attitude I bet Mark Cuban would be no different.
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8-04-2008 @ 12:15AM
George B Vieto said...
If Mark Cuban buys the Chicago Cubs he will add some spice to the game of baseball by criticizing the umpires for blown calls and making wise guys comments that will have baseball executives on the edge of their seats.
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8-04-2008 @ 1:00AM
Barbara said...
I am tired of all the criticism about Cub fans. How many teams do you think would have a loyal following after all these years without a pennant. To call them drunken louts, is to ignore the fact that such types attend all sporting events. If they are selling beer, drunk happens. Michael stated Cub fans are "spoiled"!!! How on earth can a Cub fan be spoiled? If you have any comments, why not directly address the subject.
I only hope the next owner will leave keep the Cubs in Wrigley Field, and get Len and Bob out of the broadcasting booth.
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8-04-2008 @ 8:45AM
Randy said...
Cuban is a self-absorbed moron! Not only did he do an Anti-Armed Forces movie, when his patriotism was questioned after he did that movie, his comment on his website for all young children to see was:
F*** all of you who say I'm not patriotic!
What a great way to express himself! Children go to his website and see that! A little bit of Mark goes a long way! However, as many pathetic decisions the game of baseball has made in the last few years, I'm sure he'll get the franchise. He needs to throw away his ridiculous t-shirts and grow up. He's got money and no class!
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8-04-2008 @ 11:05PM
ken said...
Anyone owning the Cubs is better the peice of human waste Sam Zell, he basically got the team for free leveraging his stock to buy the Tribune Co. Let a real human own the team that cares about something else besides how much money he can make screwing over other people. I am sure Zell doesnt fit the mold of the typical baseball owner. In this world Money Talks and BS walks no matter what sex, race or religion you are.
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