Is Angelos quietly shopping the Orioles?

[Dipper9]

It would make sense that IF Angelos was considering selling, he would reduce payroll, stay away from high priced free agents, not extend emerging Center Fielders, end many sponsorship commitments. Kinda like what the Orioles have done this offseason.

As for MASN, I don't know how long the TV contract runs, but Angelos keeping MASN would only be good for the length of the current contract. After that, the new owner could move to Comcast or O'sTV or HTS or whatever the heck they wanted. MASN is nothing without the Orioles. It would be extremely short sited thinking for Angelos to hold onto MASN if he sells the Birds.

In any event, I won't buy into this rumor, but I am starting to get to the point where its only a matter of time before Angelos either DOES sell the team, or else makes his intentions known that his sons are taking over. I've heard bad things about his sons, but at this point, you can't get much worse than 5th place and 14 straight losing seasons, so I'll take change just for the sake of change.

[Frobby]

How so? The financials (based on what we think we know) are pretty good for this team aren't they?

Attendance is at a low ebb, the team stinks, the minor league operation stinks, and the fans are unenthused and even angry. They may be making profits right now, but their brand value has never been lower. The team would be much more valuable if it was a well-run organization.

[NewMarketSean]

You take MASN out of that deal and you now turned the Baltimore Orioles into the Oakland Athletics instead of something along the lines of the Boston Red Sox in potential profitability.

Baltimore's market alone is too, too tiny. This would be a massive problem. They need to control the DC market's media as well. Plus the Charlotte-Harrisburg monthly dues.

You would need a truly benevolent owner for the Orioles to be able to compete sans MASN. One who wants to lose lots of money each year to compete.

Any serious business person would need MASN in that deal.

It substantially hurts the value of the team to take MASN out of the equation. But I don't believe that Baltimore's market is tiny. I know it bleeds into DC suburbs southwest of the city but alone Baltimore's metro population is 2.7 million and economically stable. There is a die-hard fanbase that is hungry for a winner.

We're more like St. Louis than Oakland.

As for this news, I doubt it's true but I do believe that Angelos could be getting his ducks in a row to sell or transition to his sons within the next few years.

[Can_of_corn]

Attendance is at a low ebb, the team stinks, the minor league operation stinks, and the fans are unenthused and even angry. They may be making profits right now, but their brand value has never been lower. The team would be much more valuable if it was a well-run organization.

You have to look at it from the view of the ultra-achiever. Here you have a team with all of those negatives and they are still turning a profit. They also don't have any really egregious contracts on the books.

Assuming an agreement of some sort is reached concerning MASN it would be a good ownership opportunity.

[DrungoHazewood]

All of you do realize that this talk is most likely all for not, right?

If you hear that Alyssa Milano is at the bar down the street, don't you think for like a nanosecond that this is your chance?

[Orioles0615]

I thought his sons had no interest in the team?

[DrungoHazewood]

We're more like St. Louis than Oakland.

St. Louis has the very substantial advantage of being the Team of the Midwest. For decades they were the western outpost of Major League Baseball, and they have generations of fans from Tennessee to Nebraska to Oklahoma to Iowa. The die hard O's territory, now that the Nats have arrived, is something that would fit inside of Missouri. Hell, it barely trickles out of Maryland any more.

[Can_of_corn]

It substantially hurts the value of the team to take MASN out of the equation. But I don't believe that Baltimore's market is tiny. I know it bleeds into DC suburbs southwest of the city but alone Baltimore's metro population is 2.7 million and economically stable. There is a die-hard fanbase that is hungry for a winner.

We're more like St. Louis than Oakland.

As for this news, I doubt it's true but I do believe that Angelos could be getting his ducks in a row to sell or transition to his sons within the next few years.

I have brought this up before and have been told it is a non-issue but I will bring it up again.

The O's have never had good attendance when they had a NFL team. Those great O's teams of the past did not play in front of sold out crowds. I have a definite concern that when push comes to shove Baltimore is more of a football town and when a lot of families have to choose which of the two they support it is going to be the Ravens.

I don't think the O's will ever be able to go back to a packed Yards every game, no matter how well they play. The Ravens and the Nats have changed the landscape.

[NewMarketSean]

St. Louis has the very substantial advantage of being the Team of the Midwest. For decades they were the western outpost of Major League Baseball, and they have generations of fans from Tennessee to Nebraska to Oklahoma to Iowa. The die hard O's territory, now that the Nats have arrived, is something that would fit inside of Missouri. Hell, it barely trickles out of Maryland any more.

Yeah, I can see that. I believe we were like the Cardinals before all the losing and the Nats.

But I still refuse to believe we're like the A's in any way. They have a dumpy stadium, zero fanbase...the only resemblance is they are a smaller city close to a bigger one -- but much closer.

[Brendan25]

If you hear that Alyssa Milano is at the bar down the street, don't you think for like a nanosecond that this is your chance?

Not if I've heard the same joke multiple times before and I haven't seen her at that bar yet.

[NewMarketSean]

I have brought this up before and have been told it is a non-issue but I will bring it up again.

The O's have never had good attendance when they had a NFL team. Those great O's teams of the past did not play in front of sold out crowds. I have a definite concern that when push comes to shove Baltimore is more of a football town and when a lot of families have to choose which of the two they support it is going to be the Ravens.

I don't think the O's will ever be able to go back to a packed Yards every game, no matter how well they play. The Ravens and the Nats have changed the landscape.

That was a different era. The Colts didn't sell out either, at least toward the end, even when they were good.

If the Orioles are good year to year, I think the Yard will be near capacity for most nights, especially on the weekends.

[TGO]

If you take out MASN my guess is the team is worth less on the open market than the ~350 million Angelos is guaranteed from MLB.

[Dipper9]

If you hear that Alyssa Milano is at the bar down the street, don't you think for like a nanosecond that this is your chance?

I just got back from that bar. Why you gotta lie to me like that man? WHY? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY? :vader:

[Can_of_corn]

I just got back from that bar. Why you gotta lie to me like that man? WHY? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY? :vader:

Not that bar, she was at the other bar. I hear she is still there so if you hurry...

[paulcoates]

Explain to me why The Dictator would want to sell when he can line his pockets every year with the team's profit. Anyone who says he wants to win clearly does not see that the proof is in the pudding.

You know, walks like a duck....