Franchise Notes
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Ryan Interested In Buying
Majority Stake Of Rangers |
MLB Rangers President Nolan Ryan Thursday addressed the reports he is considering joining a group that would buy a majority stake in the team from Owner Tom Hicks. Ryan: “It’s just come out here recently that Tom would consider selling the entire ballclub, or selling the controlling interest, and that changes the dynamics of where we are and how investors view us. … I’m talking to people that I know that have a passion for the game and might have the ability to put a group together, so I would say that there’s a possibility. We certainly have an interest” (“The Jim Rome Show,” 6/4). Meanwhile, SI.com's Jon Heyman wrote it is surprising that there is "only a little early scuttlebutt about former President Bush possibly retaking the reins with the Rangers." One possibility is that Bush, Hicks' neighbor, could "join a Nolan Ryan-led group" (SI.com, 6/3).
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE: Prospective Cubs Owner Tom Ricketts appeared on CNBC's "The Call" Friday to discuss his potential purchase of the Cubs. Ricketts said negotiations "are progressing. That's about all I can talk about right now." Ricketts: "I don't think there's any question that the financing markets are more complicated than they've been in a long, long time. But all that stuff is going pretty well at this point. I think we're getting pretty close." However, Ricketts said he would not "guess on timing right now" ("The Call," CNBC, 6/5).
WHAT'S THE REAL STORY? In Salt Lake City, Michael Lewis reports MLS Real Salt Lake through the first five home games at Rio Tinto Stadium this season is averaging 14,629 fans, down 16% "compared to the first five home games of last season in soccer-unfriendly Rice-Eccles Stadium." However, the team contends that the declining attendance is "due mostly to inclement weather early in the season, and not the quality of the team or the stadium." The team's average crowd of 14,629 is "skewed by back-to-back games in April that attracted fewer than 12,000 fans each because of cold and rainy weather," while last year's average through five games was "aided by an early-season meeting" with the Galaxy and MF David Beckham, which drew 25,571 fans. In addition, RSL President Bill Manning said that the team "typically gave away between 3,000 and 3,500 complimentary tickets to games" last season, but now "gives away closer to 1,000 per game" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 6/5).
NOTES: Dodgers VP/PR & Broadcasting Josh Rawitch said that while the team's attendance is up 1% this season, it is up 6% in the new "All You Can Eat Pavilion" in right field (L.A. TIMES, 6/3)....The Rays through 24 home games at Tropicana Field have drawn 583,783 fans, up 31.9% through the same number of games last season (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 6/3).
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