White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is open to selling the club and is in “active discussions” with a group led by Dave Stewart, reports Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic. It’s unclear how possible a sale is or how much progress the talks have made, but it would be a seismic shift for the franchise if it comes to fruition.
Reinsdorf, now 88 years old, is one of the more controversial owners in the sport. He bought the club in 1981 for about $20MM and has since developed a reputation for being on the meddlesome side, leading to reports of tumult from within the organization. Reinsdorf only owns an estimated 19% stake in the club, according to Forbes, but is nonetheless the principal owner of the club.
The club has had some success during his tenure as owner, including winning the 2005 World Series, but the Sox are at a very low ebb right now. They didn’t make the playoffs from 2009 to 2019, finishing below .500 during the majority of that stretch. A new core seemed to emerge and helped them make the postseason in 2020 and 2021, but that quickly proved to be unsustainable. They dropped to .500 in 2022 and lost 101 games last year before things got even worse in 2024. They lost 121 games this year, setting a new record for losses in the modern era.
Amid that downward slide, plenty of changes have taken place. In August of 2023, president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn were fired after many years with the club. However, that shakeup was followed by the club promoting Chris Getz to general manager from within, seemingly not undertaking an extensive search for external candidates. Manager Pedro Grifol and some coaches were fired in August of 2024. Grady Sizemore took over as interim manager and it’s not yet clear who will be the club’s bench boss for 2025.
Those changes were arguable merited, but as the Sox were nearing their dishonorable place in history this year, Ghiroli and Ken Rosenthal put the franchise under the microscope in a lengthy piece for The Athletic last month. In it, various sources traced the club’s misfortunes to Reinsdorf. His slow embrace of analytics, his refusal to invest in amenities or player payroll and his insular loyalty were among the various complaints cited in the piece.
While many of the club’s fans have been clamoring for Reinsdorf to sell the club, it’s possible their wish is being granted in monkey-paw fashion, given who the buyer could be. Stewart is well-known in the baseball world for his playing career and also his post-playing ventures as a coach, executive, agent and stint as general manager of the Diamondbacks. In recent years, he has been involved with a group that has been trying to get an MLB franchise in Nashville, Tennessee. Stewart parted ways with Music City Baseball/the Nashville Stars but told Paul Skrbina of the Nashville Tennessean in May that he still had designs on getting a team to Nashville someday. Per today’s report from Ghiroli, he is now part of a group called Smoke34, a reference to his nickname and jersey number from his playing days. Ghiroli also mentions that Stewart and partner Lonnie Murray are trying to bring a National Women’s Soccer League team to Nashville.
Back in August of 2023, Greg Hinz of Crain’s Chicago Business reported that the Sox were exploring relocating within Chicago but that moving to Nashville was also under consideration. “Ever since the article came out, I’ve been reading about I’ve been threatening to move to Nashville,” Reinsdorf said in response, per Scott Merkin of MLB.com. “That article didn’t come from me. But if we have six years left, we’ve got to decide what’s the future going to be? We’ll get to it, but I never threatened to move out. We haven’t even begun to have discussions with the Sports Authority, which we’ll have to do soon.” In December, multiple sources (including Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times) reported that Reinsdorf met with Nashville mayor Freddie O’Connell.
There are still plenty of unknowns with this story and the next steps will require more details to come out. The talks between Reinsdorf and Stewart could in early/exploratory stages or they could be further along. It’s also possible that Stewart’s group is just one of several that Reinsdorf has spoken with or will eventually speak with. Speculatively speaking, it’s possible that Reinsdorf is using the threat of relocation to help get a new stadium built in Chicago. As covered previously at MLBTR, the Sox have discussed plans about a new stadium in Chicago’s South Loop on a parcel of land known as “The 78.” It’s not uncommon for owners of sports franchises to dangle the threat of relocation in an attempt to extract public money for real estate investments. The Sox, who have a lease at Guaranteed Rate Field through 2029, were reportedly looking to get a billion dollars in public money for their new stadium as of February.
Exploring a sale of the club also doesn’t mean it will ultimately come to pass. In recent years, teams like the Nationals and Angels announced plans to explore the possibility of selling, only to later pull back from those declarations. This situation appears to be somewhat different, in that some discussions have already taken place. Though as mentioned, it’s unclear how extensive those talks have been.
This is the second report this month of a club considering a sale. The Twins, divisional rival of the White Sox, are also on the block. The Pohlad family announced last week that they will explore the possibility of a sale. Reinsdorf is the second-longest active owner in Major League Baseball, trailing only the Steinbrenner family, who have owned the Yankees since 1973.
Bauer? But I Hardly Know Her!
Might as well.
roob
Please please please please let it be true!
Dogbone
Awe, say it ain’t so!!!!
Big whiffa
Every white sox fans dream
metsin4
Having Dave Stewart as an owner? Try dreaming bigger.
nukeg
You can literally replace the name “Jerry Reinsdorf” and “White Sox” with “Arte Moreno” and “Angels” and this article still makes sense.
From owner meddling, questionable contracts, and now dangling the sale of the team, both men need to get the eff out of the league.
Rsox
On one hand, this might be the best news White Sox fans could ask for. On the other hand, Stewart was an awful executive.
Conundrum…
Bob Sacamano 310
He’s currently leading the charge for an expansion team in Nashville. Seems like some sort of bluff.
Atloriolesfan
Not a bluff at all. Why can’t anyone connect the dots and see that this is a move to Nashville?
metsin4
Is it him or the 12 billionaire Dave Stewart?
This one belongs to the Reds
I doubt it is the Eurythmics guy.
Rsox
According to the New York Post it’s “former big leaguer”. So unless the billionaire got a cup of coffee at the big league level it’s former Pitcher and D’backs GM Dave Stewart
metsin4
So how can he afford to buy a team? Who’s really the ones buying the team?
Acoss1331
The bar is super low here, it’s new blood in ownership, we desperately need this!
Gwynning
Get yer popcorn ready, Pale Hose fans about to sound off!
This one belongs to the Reds
Me and TO are waiting with popcorn in hand.
Blackpink in the area
88 years old net worth of 2 billion with a b dollars. Good lord. Unless you find the fountain of youth Jerry you made mistakes. Your family loves you for it though……
NYCityRiddler
Deal is contingent on bringing La Russa back. Ahahaha!
rememberthecoop
Unfortunately for Sox fans, he never left. LaRussa is still a very close advisor to baseball ops.
Goose
I have $5 and a fresh pack a gum. I know it’s an overpay but I feel good I can make it back.
After going to their stadium, seeing that team and experiencing how the staff treats the fans THIS is a welcome change.
Blackpink in the area
What exactly is the staff doing to the fans?
snoopy369
Depends on who you call staff (the vendors are chill for example), but a great example is the “Jerry Rainout” where we all know it’s going to rain all night but he waits until 10pm to call the game, keeping fans in for 3 hours to buy food/drinks…
Blackpink in the area
Are you serious? You mad they didn’t call a rain out early enough???
Armaments216
So it’s an obvious rainout and yet you choose to stay anyway? So just in case it’s not called, you’ll be there witness the loss?
rennick
I can’t say I know the inner workings of how a rainout is decided, but I have a feeling that owners have no voice in the decision.
rememberthecoop
Actually, they do. The home ballpark had a say for sure.
For Love of the Game
Snoopy, they still lost money because there were only 12 people in the stands.
rememberthecoop
Actually, it’s a very fan friendly environment. Best food I’ve ever had at a ballpark. Cheap tickets. Bad baseball, of course, but I say all this even though I’m a Cubs fan.
Tabata's Adopted Son
Popcorn guy turned me into a newt.
johnsilver
Is it the staff, or the ‘hood the stadium is in that’s the worst? Isn’t the stadium located in like the least safest locales of chi-town? just asking, something had read/heard, or was that Comisky park towards the end of it’s time in use.
Dogbone
It’s far from being in the worst neighborhood in Chicago.
16
It may not be the worst but it’s nowhere damn close to a nice or ideal location. It’s right across from where Comisky was located. A Nashville or Suburbs move would do the franchise well.
rememberthecoop
It’s fine. As long as you don’t head east.
MTG
Some buddies and I rented an AirBNB in Bronzeville a few years ago for an event. When the one local guy saw where we were at, he said “It’s definitely rough.” We went to a store on foot and there were some sketchy individuals, and people going through trash cans and stuff, but it’s not as bad as some of the places I’ve seen in California.
Dogbone
They should sell to a group headed by . . . tight pants Tony LaRussa.
Tony and Guilliani use the same hair dye.
johnsilver
Didn’t LaRussa always have the brow of his ballcap absolutely straight all the time, like Lou Pinella always did? very, very few guys did, just those 2 can think of right away and always remember Pinella playing with that hat brim, like making sure it was 100% straight and not bent in any way.
rememberthecoop
I’m sure Jerry will want to chew on that offer awhile…
Acoss1331
Praise the effing baseball gods!!!
Please let this happen!!!
Yankee Clipper
Yeah, can he sell the Bulls too, please?!
Acoss1331
I’m not greedy, but yes I’d love for that to happen too! His loyalty to Jerry Krause is a stain on the Jordan/Jackson era…
Oldguy58
No not to Krause. His loyalty to Gar/Pax set the franchise back years
roob
You’re both right.
Dumpster Divin Theo
To be fair, there would be no Jordan Jackson era without Crumbs
rememberthecoop
Not at all. In fact, it was Krause who made the trade to get Pippen in the draft. And he was the one who brought in guys like Rodman, Cartwright, Kerr, and he didn’t give in to Jordan’s trade demands. Those would have turned out awful (shades of MJ as an exec maybe?). The players hated Krause. But he also hired Phil Jackson.
Acoss1331
True, but Krause was also set on breaking up the team, that’s what did it.
numberoneslayerfan
this will be a totally rational comments section filled with levelheaded people, right?
Samuel
More like the locker room of a team that just won the World Series.
Gwynning
On and on, south of Heaven.
CalcetinesBlancos
David Stewart? Maybe he can recruit Annie Lennox to sing the anthem.
snoopy369
Darragh, April Fools day is in April, not October… don’t get my hopes up here please!
IronBallsMcGinty
This is the best White Sox news I’ve heard in a long time. I had wondered if it was a reason he was lowering payroll.
HalosHeavenJJ
Best of luck White Sox fans.
Side note: White Sox games are one of my insider tips for the Cactus League. The facility is gorgeous, tickets are usually cheap, and the back fields are incredible. You can even bring your own lunch and beverages to the back fields and watch prospects before heading into the game.
Just in case anybody is considering heading out there.
Acoss1331
Sending positive vibes to you and your fellow Angels fans! I hope Arte Moreno is a goner too!
bkbk
It sucks to watch your neighbors live your dream
rennick
I’ve been there many times, I live just a few miles away. You’re right, it’s a great facility.
rememberthecoop
They share it with the Dodgers, if I’m not mistaken.
Big Hurt
Sweet Fancy Moses make it be real.
ZackMorris
This is a small glimmer of light in a historically dark season for White Sox fans. I really hope things get better for this franchise. The Southside deserves better.
Samuel
Reinsdorf to Steve Stone who is walking into Guaranteed Rate field:
“We’ll always have 2005”.
Putting his arm around his chief financial advisor:
“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”.
For Love of the Game
I propose MLBTR readers create a GoFundMe and present the offer to Jerry. We can probably scare up tens of thousands of dollars. Think he’ll go for it just to get out from under?
Acoss1331
Lol if anything if that happens, Jerry will keep the team just to spite the fans!
2012orioles
This one’s for you, White Sox Dave
whosehighpitch
Owners should be held responsible for how crappy their franchise is. Reinsdorf does have a World Series in hand but this year was an awful excuse for a baseball team. Bob Nutting should take a hint from Reinsdorf and put the Pirates up for sale too
Khs
Well, it’s actually “Sale of Atlanta Braves” – if he’s this behind on team transactions, it’s no wonder everyone hates this guy as owner!
James Midway
Hope he does for our Pale Hose friends.
Samuel
Actually, I don’t think it’s Jerry……
Figure the investors – that own the majority of shares – see a mess; are sick of being ridiculed by friends, family, and strangers; and see
a chance to cash out bigtime.
Aiden Awe
Only issue is Stewart will move the Wsox to Nashville if approved.
solaris602
Solid maybe on that one. When it comes to baseball, Dave Stewart was a successful pitcher, and it ended there. His stint in AZ couldn’t have gone worse, and I’ve not heard of anything he’s done successfully since.
Lefty_Orioles_Fan
Do you get a team? Or just Jerry’s Executive Gold Plated Bathroom?
30 Parks
Fire Chris Getz.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Fire drunk sleepy Tony
King Floch
I would say this is great news for White Sox fans except for the tidbit other posters are pointing out about Stewart leading the charge to get Nashville an MLB team.
Man, that would really be the ultimate parting “F*** YOU” to disgruntled ChiSox fans if Scary Jerry sold the team to a group he knew full well was going to try to move it to another city. Seems kind of on-brand for him though.
Fingers crossed for you lads.
Blackpink in the area
He’s 88 years old what the heck does he care?
Chicago already has the Cubs. They will manage if that’s what happens.
Gwynning
Sup King! I have to believe Nashville or Memphis will get an expansion franchise. I can’t possibly imagine ditching the 3rd largest market and leaving it with one team will be “OK’d” by The League …
Pants Rowland
40 years too late …
Reinsdorf stopped caring about winning by 1986.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Except 2005 and 2008, you’re just 20 years off but right idea
Pads Fans
Jerry found out that Chicago and the state of Illinois were absolutely not going to finance a new stadium for him and now he is willing to sell.
Someone mentioned Groupon co-founder Eric Lefkofsky, who lives in Chicago and is founder of Tempus AI which is HQ in Chicago, in relation to the Twins possible sale. He was rumored to be interested in the White Sox before. Maybe he will step up and put together a group to buy the White Sox now?
Dave Stewart might have a net worth of $10-12 million, so he would just be the face of any group like Jeter in Miami. He would need someone like Lefkofsky
Acoss1331
Question for you since you’re far more familiar with this sort of stuff.
By tanking the team this year, with a low payroll and by having such a horrendous season, did Jerry devalue the team, and is this also a factor in selling now before the team loses even more value?
bravesfan
88, the team stinks, I’m gonna profit off this. Might as well sell them at this point. What’s the point of keeping them. Won’t be here much longer, might as well spend all my money or someone else will spend it for me.
unglar
Nashville White Sox? Seems like the owner wants to twist the knife in fans guts. That Oakland lost its team should scare every smaller organizations fans.
I know fans hate Jerry but would you rather have them stay in Chicago with current ownership or get new ownership but they plan to move to Nashville?
YankeesBleacherCreature
It’s Chicago. They’re not going anywhere. Nashville will have to wait until expansion.
Old York
Sell it to the MLBTR readers. They would make great owners.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Could you imagine, player personnel decisions by proxy poll
Old York
@Dumpster Divin Theo
You can’t tell me you don’t want to run the White Sox, do you? Haha! This is our chance to make an all-time record of 0-162 season.
Dumpster Divin Theo
My fantasy baseball team finished a distant 8th but 1st in steals. So that’s how I’d manage the club- just run, doesn’t matter where or when.
Old York
@Dumpster Divin Theo
How about only those who are subscribed get to make decisions / vote?
Peons like you and I would have no say…
Gwynning
Just keep bringing sandwiches to the boardroom and I’ll let you two know how the votes are going…
getrealgone2
Pop the champagne, Sox fans.
Palehosed85
It’s what I’ve been hoping for, with a caveat. I don’t want my team to get relocated to Nashville. It’s nothing against the city, I love going there, but I grew up rooting for the CHICAGO White Sox. It would feel like being abandoned really, though the way JR has run this organization into the ground, it’s fair to say that we were all abandoned long before.
I won’t truly get excited until I find out who the Chicago execs are that are being entertained. This team belongs in Chicago. It’s as simple as that.
mad1
Sox fans it could be worse, you could have the Ricketts family as owners
Dumpster Divin Theo
So true, so true
sss847
If you’re gonna threaten to sell to get leverage from the city, come up with a better buyer than Dave Stewart
benhen77
Owners need to be careful. Too many teams on the market at one time might mess with valuations.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Sweet Dreams are Made of This!
Aiden Awe
I hope JR sells the Wsox to George Lucas.
This one belongs to the Reds
Star Wars night every night!
bpskelly
The fact that he paid twice as much for the White Sox as the Bulls in a similar era, and now the Bulls are most certainly worth more than the White Sox speaks to how baseball has stalled out.
Blame Bud. Blame Manfred. But the lack of forward thinkers business-wise in baseball has harmed the sport. I’d argue irreparably.
The fact that the Savannah Bananas are a traveling road show and are selling out stadiums right and left speaks to it.
MLB needs new leadership. And probably more than a few new owners.
metsin4
He paid 20 million for the White Sox in 1985. He paid 16 million for the Bulls a couple years later. Not even close to double. He owes Michael Jordan for the increase in the Bulls. I’m sure baseball is doing just fine when a team value goes from $20 million to around$3 Billion in a little over 40 years.
EM41
Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then Fisher, Montfort and Moreno next.
Non Roster Invitee
Great time to sell Dorf. Pennies on the dollar.
WiffleBall
Really wish you’d hire people with legitimate writing skills on top of strong sports knowledge. This was tedious to read.
settledownitsjustagame
This filthy rich fool isn’t selling anything.
deepseamonster32
Cleared out the Bay for the Giants, now Manfred going to give the Cubs all of Chicagoland.
Larry D.
This has to make White Sox fans happy.