MLB hopes to have sale completed by next month

[McCarroll21]

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=2850619
Baseball commissioner Bug Selig hopes the proposed sale of the Atlanta Braves will be finalized next month.

Time Warner Inc. is selling the team to Colorado-based Liberty Media Corp. as part of a complex deal reached in February that values the team at $461 million.

"We're having intense discussions with all parties," Selig said Thursday during a meeting in New York with the Associated Press Sports Editors. "There are some open items yet, but I think we're moving. We're moving hopefully toward a resolution."

The deal must be approved by the baseball owners. They are scheduled to meet May 16-17 in New York.

"One would hope that we're done by then," Selig said.

Yeah, one would hope. One would have hoped that MLB would have gotten off their ass to not let the Braves be a trading chip and be held in limbo for a few years either. Thanks for all you do Bud.

[Brainofj21]

That's ridiculous a team with as much tradition as the Braves is being used as a pawn in a stock exchange. The NFL or even the NBA would never let something like this go on.

[BravePiKapp]

What does this mean for the team? Good, bad, no effect?

[JCStone7]

What does this mean for the team? Good, bad, no effect?

IMO BAD! MLB wonders why the sport is losing it's luster... what did Time Warner do with the Braves... let the payroll go from 100 million down to 80 million... Liberty Media just wants a tax break since baseball is a tax-free organization

[BGarrett7]

What does this mean for the team? Good, bad, no effect?Honestly, no one really knows. We have no grasp of how Liberty is going to handle the payroll, or anything else for that matter. Hell, for all we know, they could turn around and sell the team within the same calendar year the deal is finalized. Hopefully we find out something about this corporation and their intent very soon since it looks like things are finally going to be pushed through.

[BravesfaninNC]

Honestly, no one really knows. We have no grasp of how Liberty is going to handle the payroll, or anything else for that matter. Hell, for all we know, they could turn around and sell the team within the same calendar year the deal is finalized. Hopefully we find out something about this corporation and their intent very soon since it looks like things are finally going to be pushed through.They can't sell the team for a list 2years.Let's hope for the best:) and get ready for the worst just in case.:(

[Nic]

From a business standpoint, I wouldn't expect them to come in and run the team into the ground and hurt the resale value. On the other hand, I wouldn't expect them to do much as far as improving the value of the team either. I'm not sure if or how capital gains taxes would apply to a sports franchise though,

[Nic]

From a business standpoint, I wouldn't expect them to come in and run the team into the ground and hurt the resale value. On the other hand, I wouldn't expect them to do much as far as improving the value of the team either. I'm not sure if or how capital gains taxes would apply to a sports franchise though, but that may ultimately be the deciding factor as to the destiny of the team for the next 2 years.

[MSU Bulldog]

I read a couple of months ago, that Selig made it a stipulation that the upper management of the team remain virtually the same. Also, he said the Braves must remain a competitive organization, maintain status quo, no fire sales. This lead me to believe that we could expect more of the same under Liberty Media as with AOL/Time Warner.

I believe I read this on the team site. Feel free to search their archives if you like.

[dogmanx23]

well i hope they give us at least 20 million to spend extra to improve our roster we have a winning roster right now we are just missing a few pieces maybe 2 more pitchers and a LF i like thorman at 1st hes just starting off slow.

[Science Fiction Twin]

What difference does it make if Time Warner reduced the payroll? If I owned the Braves and I viewed as a business, I'd care about the perceived value of the assets what the projected incomes are, how much that money is worth in present value, what the payback period is, what kind of risk was involved, how that risk compared to other ventures, and...I'll spare everyone the rest of the list.

In the end, my question to jcstone07 is this:

What difference do you think it makes how much the payroll is? If I'm the owner of the Yankees or the Devil Rays, I don't care how much the payroll is. I care about all the other things that I've already brought up the proceeding paragraph.

This is all assuming that it's just about the money, which, being annually consumed by baseball fever since @ 1981, it's never about the money for me. But if it was...

Aimed at Brainofj21: I'd be willing to entertain your examples to support how the NHL or NBA owners would never let something like (Liberty Media purchasing the Atlanta Braves from Time Warner) happen. Exactly what is your point? Last I heard, and from reading the rest of the posts it looks to me like I'm not alone on this one, we have very little idea what all this means for the future of the franchise.

Pointed towards my fellow Virginian, Nic: I'd like to think that the team wouldn't be run into the ground but I suppose it all could depend on your definition of "run into the ground." IMO, the Marlins were recently run into the ground. Also, in recent past, maybe going in the opposite direction, the D-backs were spending their future away when they had a glut of overpriced players. To throw one more in the kettle, how about the Reds. In the recent past, I feel like management had run that team into the ground. How about the Cubs. In my opinion, Dusty Baker ran that team into the ground.

As to the specific point of capital gains, I'm pretty sure that it's only the player contracts that are affected and that there's a set maximum amount that can be allocated towards player contracts. If I recall correctly, it's somewhere around 50%. I may be wrong 'bout all this. My main point that I am trying to make here is that while the issue of capital gain taxes may be a migitating factor, it's probably going to be less of a concern than several other factors that may or may not have anything to do with the Braves.

Who knows...for me or most anyone else to put forth commentary should come with the disclaimer that we're just armchair spectators and have no real ability to perceive all of the factors at play.

[cjones1999]

this might not be as bad for the players as it will be for us fans

My reasoning:i haven't heard anything about TBS carrying Braves games when the deal is done;also we might end up losing our franchise players and the fans that are devoted to them

[gitrdone48]

I hope TBS still carries Braves games if this deal goes through. I want someone local to buy the team, not freakin' Liberty Media from Colorado. If they screw up any of the infrastructure of the current organization (franchise players, TBS broadcasts) I will raise hell.

[McCarroll21]

You better start "raising hell" because TBS has already been confirmed as gone regardless as to who owned the Braves next year. TBS is fading out, get used to it and prepare for it.

[gitrdone48]

You better start "raising hell" because TBS has already been confirmed as gone regardless as to who owned the Braves next year. TBS is fading out, get used to it and prepare for it.

Well I guess I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and get the MLB Extra Innings package then. I hate big business, it ruins everything.

:blah:

[cjones1999]

I hate big business, it ruins everything.
:blah:
preach the gospel gitrdone

[lilsnatch07]

I'm hoping the new owners come in and see how big of a star Andruw Jones is and sign him right away.........

[C-Dawg]

Well I guess I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and get the MLB Extra Innings package then. I hate big business, it ruins everything.

:blah:

Big business giveth, and big business taketh away :rolleyes:

But you can't really blame TBS for wanting to 86 the Braves....after all, in the time it takes to show one game, they could squeeze in 6 more episodes of Raymond.

[BravePiKapp]

they could squeeze in 6 more episodes of Raymond.

Thats just a good show.

[dogmanx23]

if our new owners want to spend some money and wanna compete big time. I would hope they would want to resign Andruw and if he opts out A-Rod :) trade renteria for pitching help. and we could have a nice team :)

its not gonna happen i know but one can dream cant they. I remember A-rod was so close to being a brave until texas pulled 250 million outta there ass to get him. We had him signed he wanted to play for bobby and loved atlanta.

If we had Authur Blank as the owner I see Andruw getting resigned, A-rod getting signed and we go after a #1 starting pitcher.. But Dreaming is a fun thing. I hate Liberty Media i know they are going to turn us into the tampa of the national league.

[vnodnarb]

if our new owners want to spend some money and wanna compete big time. I would hope they would want to resign Andruw and if he opts out A-Rod :) trade renteria for pitching help. and we could have a nice team :)

its not gonna happen i know but one can dream cant they. I remember A-rod was so close to being a brave until texas pulled 250 million outta there ass to get him. We had him signed he wanted to play for bobby and loved atlanta.

If we had Authur Blank as the owner I see Andruw getting resigned, A-rod getting signed and we go after a #1 starting pitcher.. But Dreaming is a fun thing. I hate Liberty Media i know they are going to turn us into the tampa of the national league.


We would be so screwed if we had A-Rod under contract right now

[dogmanx23]

We would be so screwed if we had A-Rod under contract right now


eh maybe he wasnt getting $25 million from us he was getting like $15 i think. We had him signed and ready. I dont think we'd be in a bad position.

[vnodnarb]

eh maybe he wasnt getting $25 million from us he was getting like $15 i think. We had him signed and ready. I dont think we'd be in a bad position.


I thought it was 17M a year, but it may have been 15M, either way think about how cash strapped we would be with him, AJ, Chipper, Hampton, Smoltz. Would we have Hudson or Wickman? I don't know, but having added another huge contract back before the payroll was contracted to 80M would have hurt even more with flexibility.