It has been noted that he has plans for venues around MMP and since he aquired different properties to develop I don't think he'd sell till he can maximize that value. I bet he's planning to do so once that occurs. He's made millions, won championships, selling would make him at least twice a rich.
I help people sell businesses for a living. A lot of times there are other factors at play other that rule out waiting around for a higher offer. Health can be a factor. Having said that I have no idea if any of the smoke on this is true or how Crane feels about it. He’s definitely built a great organization. interested to hear @Nook ‘s thoughts on this
I saw this guy say this a month ago as well. If you're a buyer, is it better to have a smaller payroll but a average team or high payroll but have a good team? Does a big payroll reduce the buyers?
Whatever. Either open the books or don't. Cherry picking and leaking one revenue stream while ignoring all the positive ones and the underlying value increase of the team is worse than just saying "we have a number of financial-only minority shareholders, and they and we expect to make a healthy operating profit annually on top of the asset appreciation." Be honest with the fans, or just keep quiet. Selective disclosures may distract some journalists, but are insulting to the many fans who are highly savvy on business operations and financials.
Crane turns 70 soon. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if he has long planned a “sell window” that starts after this season. All we can hope is that the next owner is super duper rich, baseball smart, and competitive.
Crane almost never talks about this stuff publicly. This usually comes from the minority owners. They are getting annoyed at the Xmas parties all over town when people ask them why the Astros aren't doing anything this off-season.
Buying the Astros is going to cost a lot such that the new owner is not likely going to have too much money in reserve that is not tied up. Having a lot of large long term contracts would likely take out a few potential buyers who wouldn't be able to handle something going wrong with the Astros or the previous primary business.
Money is always an issue until Jim Crane decides it is - because a player he wants at his price comes along. My two biggest contacts with the Astros are no longer there, but I have heard zero about the Astros trading Valdez. Anything is possible but I would be surprised.
Don’t agree with this or Buck calling payroll debt. It’s not debt. I’m highly confident the Astros are turning a solid profit and the valuation of the team is going to reflect that. It won’t have anything to do with payroll. Teams with smaller payrolls are generally not making more profit than the Astros are right now. Additionally, if the new buyer really wanted, most of these contracts are easily tradable if they wanted to tear everything down…but that would seem like a pretty stupid idea and likely to tank their profits as we saw what MMP looked like when Crane did it.
They should sign Snell and trade Framber. It’s a net 12M cost, doesn’t make you worse in 24 (if snell is healthy) and makes you not as likely to have to fully rebuild in 26. I don’t think there’s any way they do that (and more likely to trade for Cease and really go all in the next two years) but that’s what I’d like to see. i don’t expect either of those things to happen, as status quo is way most likely.
We are doing our pod tonight or tomorrow on revenue in baseball in general and particularly the Astos and we are going to delve into this. Hope you enjoy.
I am sure that is true, and equally sure they are the ones who really deserve the questions. Crane at least has his ego and public persona tied up in the team's success. The minority owners are largely anonymous - they are there for the profit (annual and equity increase) and, to a far lesser extent, the perks. They are likely disproportionately restraining the spending and deserve whatever uncomfortable party conversations they are having.
I always do. I'll give it a listen from foggy, cold and dreary Luxembourg (a dreariness that might be affecting my mood towards this topic).
