12:32pm: Marlins president David Samson calls the Forbes story “inaccurate,” as Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald writes, though he did not provide details on bidding parties.
11:56am: Casting doubts on recent reports of keen interest from multiple bidding groups, Mike Ozanian of Forbes writes that the Marlins are currently drawing attention from just one potential suitor. And even that group — a team of investors led by Derek Jeter and Jeb Bush — has only yet made a “non-binding indication of interest” and is still hunting for cash to support a bid.
According to Ozanian, other potential bidders have not continued their initial pursuit of a deal with current Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria. Former hurler Tom Glavine was said to have joined forces with Tagg Romney (Mitt’s son), but that pairing has apparently fizzled already. That’s particularly problematic, per the report, since the group held out the promise of bringing a significant amount of cash to the table.
We have heard talk at times of at least one more possible challenger to take the reins in Miami. But Ozanian says that interest has also seemingly dried up beyond the two recognizable bidding groups noted above. There’s doubt, it seems, as to where an alternative to the Jeter/Bush team might come from.
If there’s truly just one passable pursuer of the organization, that surely doesn’t bode well for Loria’s sale price. As the report notes, there already seems to have been a precipitous fall in the numbers being discussed publicly. Just ten weeks ago, the club was said to be headed for a $1.6B sale.
What a sweet deal. Loria buys the Marlins for a relative song, after demonstrating little interest in his previous franchise (Expos – paid $12 million for 24% of the club in 1999) and now gets a billion dollars in profit for selling the Marlins. It pays to be Selig’s buddy.
If any commenters on this site want to throw-in, I’m putting in a bid for the Marlins. So far I’ve got $125, another billion in funding and we’re good. Let me know.
Make it $200 lol
I’m in for a few hundred.
This isn’t such a bad idea. MLBTR has enough of a following. I can toss in a couple hundred as well. A team for the people!
I’ll toss in 5K however I demand unlimited access to anywhere in the park.
You can go anywhere but the home run sculpture
We can let some guests swim with the fishes behind home plate?
I’m a Braves’ fan first, but I’d still be game for throwing in a hundred bucks as well.
Is that $125 or $125k?
Either way, count me in. I can put up a significant amount using undisclosed means.
Why not? The Dodgers were bought with a parking lot and leveraged into a fortune.
Jeb!
I’ll throw in a hundred also!! We got this.
Ah, too bad. Can’t get much for a AAA team these days. I’ve got 10000 for a pool. Make them like the green bay Packers.
I’m really curious how he got a 1.6 billion dollar number or whatever it was.
Granted new stadium but really ugly
If I recall correctly… neither Florida team gets much attendance…
so… how is it worth that money?
Marlins have a stable media contract with a new tax funded field. Along with potential to be good under new ownership. They also get a decent amount of seats filled.
The rays are the ones struggling with attendance.
Rays are due to bad location
Marlins barely fill half their stadium
I’m not trying to bash
These numbers just don’t add up
The Rays have better attendance than the Marlins don’t they? At least they used to.
Why couldn’t the Marlins have an owner like Micky Arison
“As with most things published by Forbes regarding the Miami Marlins, this most recent story is also inaccurate,” Samson said.
Does that include the dubious $1.6 billion price tag?
“Would you take 20 bucks?” – Rick Harrison
Does this mean the Marlins will go on a spending spree to put a good product on the field, only to low it up yet again?