Ted Leonsis/Orioles? (UNFOUNDED RUMOR)

[ChaosLex]

They're both of Greek descent. They were probably just chilling and talking about the old country. Just my two cents.

[DuffMan]

Gary Thorne could be a year-round MASN employee....always liked listening to him calling hockey games.

Joe B is the man! No reason not to keep him on play by play. Thorn butchers enough names/facts/happenings in baseball can't even imagine how bad he'd be with hockey.

[OrioleMagic]

Just thinking about the possibility brightened my day. Thanks!

[allstar1579]

He's my favorite owner in sports, but I'll put this one to rest right now. He's spread too thin owning the 3 sports teams and verizon center already. There was a lot of work that went into structuring things so that he could buy the rest of the stuff from Polin's estate. No way he could own a baseball team on top of it, and if he did he would keep it in DC.

[Tank]

It would be amazing, as unlikely as it is.

[TradeAngelos]

Why are so many sports organizations looking to launch their own TV channels these days? That’s a question I recently took to Washington Wizards and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis[...]

“I’m a media executive and I also understand the Internet and broadband and cable,” he said. “So I’m unabashed in saying at some point, I’m going to be in the network-content-delivery business. I’m just going to[...]”

when I asked [Leonsis] what model he thinks is the best, he focused on other things.

He pointed to the success of both Mid-Atlantic Sports Network and Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic in the Washington market as evidence that the models for traditional regional sports networks could be changing. No longer does a regional sports network have to be dependent on tying up local professional rights in both the summer and winter. CSN Mid-Atlantic is profitable with teams that play in the winter (Wizards and Caps); MASN is profitable with teams that play in the summer (Orioles and Nationals)[...]

Leonsis scoffed when I suggested some teams would be better served collecting a nice, big (and ever-increasing) check from a regional sports network rather than trying to launch their own channels. That type of thinking, he said, is too short-sighted.

“That’s the difference between income statement versus balance-sheet accretion,” he said. “Owning a part of a network or a network is a very valuable enterprise.”

Whoa hold the phone here folks. I thought everyone has said that MASN isn't making money, and that we don't know the financial background and the profits. Many here would like you to believe they are non-existent, but Mr Leonsis seems to think otherwise. Being a smart successful businessman in the local area, think he might have a clue what is going on with MASN?

One would think that in order for any operation to be "successful" it would have to be fairly "profitable" no? The last quote of just how much money there is to be made with a network should leave no doubt in anyone's mind that Angelos IS making a ton of money and not spending a dime of it.

So for everyone who wanted to claim that "we don't know" and "we don't understand" look at those two quotes and tell me that again. Leonsis is obviously impressed with MASN and reading between the lines would love to have a piece or all of it because there is a LOT of money to be made.

So where is all that money? 3 years worth not counting getting off the ground in the first 2 years?

I know where it is.

[FarmSystem]

Assuming he has the money to buy the Orioles/MASN, the other leagues might not want one of their owners to have their attention and finances divided between three major pro sports teams.

[Phantom]

Doesn't MLB currently frown on owners with other teams?

[SilentJames]

Doesn't MLB currently frown on owners with other teams?

The owner of the Tigers owns the Pistons and Red Wings.

[SoBo]

It's not unprecedented. I'm blanking on the name but the guy in Detroit owns the tigers, red wings and pistons I believe. From a money perspective I think the three combined entities of the o's, Wiz and Caps would probably be the equivalent of owning a NFL team. I don't think we can read too much into leonsis having PA in his box for a Caps game. But man one of these days these rumors are going to have some substance.

[The Goob]

Leonsis is one of the best owners in sports. See the link below for a podcast Bill Simmons did with him recently. It is outstanding

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/show?showId=bsreport

He talks about owning the team being a civic responsibility and that the fans really own the team he is just the caretaker. That making money is not his goal, winning championships is. That his heairs will utilmately get the return on his investment when the team is sold based on its increased value so he feel no need to make a huge profit.

He also talks about his role as an owner is to set the tone and vision for the organization and then put people in place to do the rest. He even admitted that the Capital recently entended a player (Erskin) and he did not even know about it until he saw the press release but it was fine becuase it was within the vision of the team. By the end of the podcast I found myself wanted to root for the Capitals and Wizards.

I would do backflips is he bought the team. He is everything I wish Angelos would be.

[Birds of B'more]

They're both of Greek descent. They were probably just chilling and talking about the old country. Just my two cents.

+1

Even under the best-case scenario, Angelos would do nothing more right now than sell a minority share of the O's, with maybe the stipulation that Leonsis would have first-rights to purchase Angelos' majority share, either when he chooses to sell or upon his passing.

[lanslaxcj]

WOW! For the first time I bring up a topic that hasn't been posted before and has more than 1 or 2 pages of comments. This was strictly a fan rumor/jumping to conclusion/easter bunny and santa claus being in the same area type of post. I apologize to anyone who got over exciting that Angelos was doing something today or in the near future; however, after reading some of the comments this post was the highlight of some people's day and you are welcome for that.

Also, after reading some of the comments I will further jump to conclusions, maybe Ted is thinking of purchasing the Orioles, maybe some share in MASN. Sounds like his deals with Comcast Sports Net are nearing an end. Maybe he will start his own network and was simply looking for advice, at any rate it seemed pretty cool that two owners on opposite sides of the beltway could join in for a little fun a sporting event.

[Phantom]

The owner of the Tigers owns the Pistons and Red Wings.

When did he buy the Tigers? I was under the impression that this was the major factor in turning down Cuban (though cross markets might be an issue too).

[Mark Carver]

Whoa hold the phone here folks. I thought everyone has said that MASN isn't making money, and that we don't know the financial background and the profits. Many here would like you to believe they are non-existent, but Mr Leonsis seems to think otherwise. Being a smart successful businessman in the local area, think he might have a clue what is going on with MASN?

One would think that in order for any operation to be "successful" it would have to be fairly "profitable" no? The last quote of just how much money there is to be made with a network should leave no doubt in anyone's mind that Angelos IS making a ton of money and not spending a dime of it.

So for everyone who wanted to claim that "we don't know" and "we don't understand" look at those two quotes and tell me that again. Leonsis is obviously impressed with MASN and reading between the lines would love to have a piece or all of it because there is a LOT of money to be made.

So where is all that money? 3 years worth not counting getting off the ground in the first 2 years?

I know where it is.

No one said that MASN isn't making money, after all, they paid the Nationals and the Orioles $28m each last year for the broadcast rights. They just aren't the cash ow that most think they are...