Rangers co-Owner & COO Neil Leibman yesterday "revealed some of ownership's thinking" during the pandemic as part of a 45-minute Zoom call with reporters, according to Evan Grant of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. The "famously reclusive Rangers ownership" -- Ray Davis, Bob Simpson and Leibman -- had "stayed quiet" through the waves of crises that have affected the country and MLB. In response to internal feedback, the club "created an Inclusion and Community Council to 'listen and learn' from employees and to strive toward strengthening engagement with diverse communities." The Rangers were the first team in MLB to call employees back to the office, and a COVID outbreak followed, but Leibman "maintains the office was opened safely and concessions were made for employees with concerns." Meanwhile, Leibman acknowledged that the ownership group "would make a capital call in the next 40 days," calling it "'significant,' but declined to discuss the amount." Grant notes another capital call is expected in '21. It is "impossible to gauge revenues for next season," but the team has about $67M in "contracts that expire after this season." Leibman said the team will not “tank.” But he also "did not commit to adding payroll or re-investing the savings from expiring contracts" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/18).
