Agent Joe Cubas met with Huizenga Holdings President
Rick Rochon yesterday to discuss buying the Marlins and
"came away optimistic he can point the team in a new
direction," according to Armando Salguero of the MIAMI
HERALD. While Marlins President Don Smiley is still
"considered the front-runner" to buy the club, lawyers for
Cubas will participate in a conference call with MLB "to
discuss the next step." Cubas "would not name" his
potential investors, which number "fewer than" 10, but
claimed that his group is "complete save for one more entity
that is still negotiating." Cubas: "If Don Smiley really
has the inside track, the Huizenga people would have no need
to speak to us. Our window of opportunity is open." Cubas
added that if his bid were successful, he would "infuse" the
Marlins' $12M payroll, "perhaps by as much as" $20M his
first year (MIAMI HERALD, 7/17). Cubas has yet to make an
official offer for the team (MIAMI HERALD, 7/17).
CRY AND YOU CRY ALONE: Smiley met yesterday with WQAM-
AM station owner George Beasley "in hopes of" getting
Beasley to contribute $15M toward his bid, according to Alan
Snel of the Fort Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL. Chip Gesner, a
financial consultant for the Smiley group, said that if
Beasley joins the bid, "the investor team would be complete"
(SUN-SENTINEL, 7/17). Smiley also spoke with Beasley and
WQAM co-Owner Greg Reed about allowing the station, which
currently has three years remaining on its deal to carry the
Marlins at $3M per season, out of its contract. In
exchange, Beasley and Reed would invest $15M in Smiley's
bid, and the Marlins would buy time on the station for its
games and keep the ad revenue. (MIAMI HERALD, 7/17) A
source close to Smiley's negotiations to bring Barry
Diller's USA Broadcasting into his group said that a "deal
is not final." The source said that USA "is still looking
at it" (Fort Lauderdale SUN-SENTINEL, 7/17).
