A-Rod part owner of Cubs

It's the NY Post, so have your grains of salt at the ready:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/09232007/news/nationalnews/a_rod_agent__a_cub_cout.htm

September 23, 2007 -- A new report says Alex Rodriguez's agent has spoken to a potential new owner of the Chicago Cubs about a bank-breaking deal that could give A-Rod a cut of the team.

 

The powerful Yankee third baseman is eligible to opt for free agency 10 days after the World Series ends this fall. And, New York magazine reports, super-agent Scott Boras is already talking to who he thinks is the favorite group vying to purchase Chicago's first-place team.

According to the magazine, Boras is peddling a Second City deal that could go for an average of $30 million a year over 10 seasons, with much of that cash backloaded for the 32-year-old Rodriguez - who would then be given the right to buy a chunk of the Cubs at the contract's conclusion. The report does not indicate who would pay for this proposed, precedent-setting deal.

New York magazine doesn't name the front-running owner wannabe but reports that it is not Dallas Maverick owner Mark Cuban of the NBA, who's expressed interest in grabbing the Cubs.

 

It has been reported that a group led by private-equity mogul John Canning, chief executive of Chicago's Madison Dearborn Partners, has the best shot.

Interesting stuff all around, especially in that last quote. If Canning getting the bid means we get ARod, well, suddenly Cuban doesn't appear to be the only "savior" on the horizon.

That said, some things strike me as odd...like the article said, wouldn't this type of contact/negotiation be against league rules?

It's the NY Post, so have your grains of salt at the ready:

 

http://www.nypost.com/seven/09232007/news/nationalnews/a_rod_agent__a_cub_cout.htm

 

September 23, 2007 -- A new report says Alex Rodriguez's agent has spoken to a potential new owner of the Chicago Cubs about a bank-breaking deal that could give A-Rod a cut of the team.

 

The powerful Yankee third baseman is eligible to opt for free agency 10 days after the World Series ends this fall. And, New York magazine reports, super-agent Scott Boras is already talking to who he thinks is the favorite group vying to purchase Chicago's first-place team.

 

According to the magazine, Boras is peddling a Second City deal that could go for an average of $30 million a year over 10 seasons, with much of that cash backloaded for the 32-year-old Rodriguez - who would then be given the right to buy a chunk of the Cubs at the contract's conclusion. The report does not indicate who would pay for this proposed, precedent-setting deal.

 

New York magazine doesn't name the front-running owner wannabe but reports that it is not Dallas Maverick owner Mark Cuban of the NBA, who's expressed interest in grabbing the Cubs.

 

It has been reported that a group led by private-equity mogul John Canning, chief executive of Chicago's Madison Dearborn Partners, has the best shot.

 

Interesting stuff all around, especially in that last quote. If Canning getting the bid means we get ARod, well, suddenly Cuban doesn't appear to be the only "savior" on the horizon.

 

That said, some things strike me as odd...like the article said, wouldn't this type of contact/negotiation be against league rules?

 

I'm not sure it's tampering if the "potential owner" isn't the actual owner.

 

Assume, I sat here today and said if I were owner of the Cubs, I'd give Arod a 30 million a year contract and let him own part of the team. Is that tampering? No. Why? Because I don't own the Cubs.

 

While this group may be closer along than I'll ever be to owning the Cubs, truth is, they don't. By the time they do, it won't be tampering to make the offer official.

OK, that explains it. Thanks, Vance!