Kenny's First Comments On Off-Season...

[Lip Man 1]

Noneck:

You mention a potential selling of the franchise. I can't say I've heard anything about that, nothing but in fact JR is in his mid/late 70's and he can't go on forever. Plus the latest info I heard and saw was that his family doesn't want to be a part of the Sox when he is gone.

So it will be an extremely interesting situation when it's time for a change.

But for right now I honestly don't think there is a connection between the current philosophy and a potential sale, the Sox had this attitude 10 years ago for example.

Lip

[mahagga73]

Originally Posted by wilburaga

Reminiscent of the awful 1979 squad that featured 4 lefty starters (Kravec, Baumgarten, Wortham, and Trout). Southpaws made 116 of our 160 starts.

The team went 73-87, but as I recall the lefty starters were not the problem. It was a roster packed with Ralph Garrs, Claudell Washingtons, Milt Mays, Alan Bannisters, Kevin Bells and Jim Morrisons. And these guys were starters.

My half sister was adopted when my dad went to Nam and her cousin with her adopted family was Rich Wortham of all people, lol. Small world.He had one respectable year in the rotation with a .500 record on a terrible team if I remember right.

[FielderJones]

Originally Posted by Lip Man 1

You mention a potential selling of the franchise. I can't say I've heard anything about that, nothing but in fact JR is in his mid/late 70's and he can't go on forever. Plus the latest info I heard and saw was that his family doesn't want to be a part of the Sox when he is gone.

If the other owners want to retain Sox ownership, would it be just a matter of the Reinsdorf heirs selling the shares to a new operating partner?

[Lip Man 1]

Fielder:

I'd assume so although there could be an issue if say a few investors all make the same offer for the same percentage of the franchise. That's something that I assume, you'd have to go before a judge much like the Veeck - Finley - Comiskey situation in 1959.

I've asked the folks in the media about this issue from time to time and honestly no one that I've asked can even guess as to what the future would hold if / when JR leaves. I've been told it's been brought up in meetings for example and nobody has an idea...if it would go to some of the current investors, if it would be sold to an outside group, company or an individual.

It'll be interesting when it happens that's for sure.

Lip

[Golden Sox]

When the day comes when JR sells the White Sox I wouldn't be surprised to see the Wirtz family be the buyer. JR has always said he would sell all of his holdings (White Sox, Bulls and United Center) to one buyer. Due to the fact that the Wirtz family owns part of the United Center with JR it would make sense for them to buy out JR. Maybe they might build another baseball stadium for the White Sox somewhere near the United Center.

[34 Inch Stick]

It was my understanding that JR had a very small ownership interest in the team but I've been wrong before

[WhiffleBall]

Originally Posted by 34 Inch Stick

It was my understanding that JR had a very small ownership interest in the team but I've been wrong before

I thought JR and Einhorn combined owned a majority ownership but now Einhorn takes a much less active role in the team since he got sick? Either way there will probably be a new owner sometime in the next 10 years. They both turn 77 early next year.

[Lip Man 1]

34:

I've heard between 5% and 12% however with all the individuals who have a piece of the franchise that's still more than enough to have majority control.

Lip

[DSpivack]

Originally Posted by Lip Man 1

34:

I've heard between 5% and 12% however with all the individuals who have a piece of the franchise that's still more than enough to have majority control.

Lip

Say JR and/or Einhorn wants to retire and/or sell his share; who at that point would become the active owner?

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by Golden Sox

When the day comes when JR sells the White Sox I wouldn't be surprised to see the Wirtz family be the buyer. JR has always said he would sell all of his holdings (White Sox, Bulls and United Center) to one buyer. Due to the fact that the Wirtz family owns part of the United Center with JR it would make sense for them to buy out JR. Maybe they might build another baseball stadium for the White Sox somewhere near the United Center.

Hasn't JR's son expressed interest in keeping the Bulls, though? I could have sworn someone posted a piece written on his son that essentially stated he wasn't interested in keeping the family holdings in the Sox but was interested in remaining owner of the Bulls. So who knows?

At any rate, I wouldn't hold my breath for a new baseball stadium by the United Center. If they're going to build a new stadium, I would assume it would be downtown, there's no way you could acquire enough land east of the UC any more, way too valuable, and I'm not sure what point it would serve to move the Sox from Bridgeport, a relatively unpopular neighborhood with a seedy reputation and move them west of the UC.

[Lip Man 1]

Double is correct in his thought that the son wants to hang on to the Bulls but not the Sox.

Spivak, I assume in that case the board of directors would meet and vote on who would be given control of the day to day operations of the franchise at least until a decision is reached on if the club would be sold and said person would remain in charge until the sale is done.

Lip