The Marlins "still hope there's a deal for at least a negotiating window" for the sale of the team by Tuesday's All-Star Game, according to sources cited by Jon Heyman of FANRAG SPORTS. The group led by MasTec co-Founder & Chair Jorge Mas "has the financing and is a threat to win the team," while the Tagg Romney-Wayne Rothbaum group is "at least close." The Derek Jeter group, which had been "well behind, is said to have come up with close to" $1B in backers and "isn't completely out of the running" (FANRAGSPORTS.com, 7/6).
SAME SONG & DANCE: USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale notes the Marlins in their 25th year are "preparing for their fourth fire sale, the second in five years, with any player on a multiyear contract available." All this comes as baseball's elite "prepare to gather" for the ASG, a "strange contrast for an event designed to showcase the home team's stars and heritage." Sources said that the Marlins are "hemorrhaging money, projected to lose" $62M this season. The franchise is "carrying a debt" of around $500M, and it is "increasing by the year." The Marlins, with a "franchise-record opening-day payroll" of $116M, have a "staggering" $488M in future salary commitments. It is the "highest financial commitment" of any MLB team "despite averaging a National League-worst 20,904 fans per game and carrying the lowest-paid TV contract" at $20M a year through '20. As for the sale of the team, Owner Jeffrey Loria "wants to stay loyal to his executives but still reduce the debt to make the purchase price more appealing, meaning their players will have to depart." The Marlins are "preparing to strip it down for the next ownership group." The team "seriously considered rebuilding" in the aftermath of P Jose Fernandez' death last September, but Loria "overruled several executives." It not only was "unfair to the community, he argued, but also to the legacy of Fernandez." The Marlins are "anticipating a sellout crowd" for the ASG, although tickets are still available, but "believe it might be the last time they draw a crowd larger than 25,000 this season" (USA TODAY, 7/6).
