Will Steinbrenner sell the Yankees?

[wildcard]

Jim Palmer brought up the question during last nights game. He said that Steinbrenner's health is in question (see link) and that his daughter who is his heir and other family members are not inclined to keep the Yankees if George is not running the club.

Palmer also said that the Yes Network may be for sale. (see link). The Yes Network is partly owned by the Yankees and it seems logical that if the Yankees are to be sold and the Steinbrenner family are to take their money out of the Yankees, then selling the Yes Network could be a first step.

The Yankees are a money machine and the separation of Yes from the Yankees probably would have little impact on the Yankees ability to spend on players. However if the Yankees change majority ownership hands there is the question of how hands on and baseball savvy the new owner would be.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08032007/news/regionalnews/tragic_madness_of_king_george_regionalnews_dan_mangan.htm

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2958799

[Baroquen131]

Jim Palmer brought up the question during last nights game. He said that Steinbrenner's health is in question (see link) and that his daughter who is his heir and other family members are not inclined to keep the Yankees if George is not running the club.

Palmer also said that the Yes Network may be for sale. (see link). The Yes Network is partly owned by the Yankees and it seems logical that if the Yankees are to be sold and the Steinbrenner family are to take their money out of the Yankees, then selling the Yes Network could be a first step.

The Yankees are a money machine and the separation of Yes from the Yankees probably would have little impact on the Yankees ability to spend on players. However if the Yankees change majority ownership hands there is the question of how hands on and baseball savvy the new owner would be.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08032007/news/regionalnews/tragic_madness_of_king_george_regionalnews_dan_mangan.htm

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2958799

Even if sold, I don't see YES being separated from the team. It seems like the regional sports networks are too vital to the "cooking of the books" for MLB owners. The hiding/moving of revenue to avoid hits by the luxury tax and satisfying the debt-ratio thing, and that sort. (Yes, I'm not concerned with anything resembling financial details of MLB at 7am in the morning, but you get the idea). I think YES is as important to the operation of the Yankees as MASN is supposed to be for the financial health of our club. It's not getting spun off like an underperforming unit of AT&T or something.

In terms of Yankees ownership... I can't fathom a change as Steinbrenner has been the only owner that I've "known" during my lifetime. It would certainly be interesting if he and the family sold their stake. Of course the team would still have tremendous resources to work with, but who knows how well the new owners would be able to utilize it. Should be fun to see, if it comes to pass.

[DrungoHazewood]

The Yankees are a money machine and the separation of Yes from the Yankees probably would have little impact on the Yankees ability to spend on players. However if the Yankees change majority ownership hands there is the question of how hands on and baseball savvy the new owner would be.

Steinbrenner has proven that having a payroll 50% or more higher than the next team gives you a huge amount of leeway in defining baseball savvy. I think that no matter what the Yanks do their money and resurgent farm system makes them very strong contenders. With their resources they could swap management groups with the '05 Pirates and win 85 games. Hell, I bet Flanagan and Duquette could build a winner in new Yankee Stadium.

[TGO]

The Yankees' share in YES is not currently for sale. The part being discussed is the 65% share owned by Goldman Sachs and a few other investment groups. Yes, that is a controlling share, and it means that "YES is for sale," but the Yankees would not lose their 35% interest if the other 65% is sold.

I would assume that no matter what happens with the Yankees, the 35% share of YES will remain controlled by the Yankees. If the Yankees are sold, the YES shares will be part of the deal.