Ten months ago the Minnesota Twins went up for sale . Just weeks ago they were taken off the market without changing hands. The Pohlad family has made a habit of failed business pursuits. It's not a shock they'd publicly embarrass themselves with the handling of their team sale.
Ultimately they found a couple investor groups to provide a cash infusion and clear the mountain of debt they rolled into the team. That doesn't mean there still won't be a sale in the future .
Now with the door opened for limited partners to join the fray, a local angle could be something to keep an eye on.
Related Headlines
We have not yet been made privy to whom the Minnesota Twins are bringing on as minority partners. That likely is a result of Major League Baseball working through the approvals process. We do know they are two separate collections of people. Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press suggests a third collection, headed by Zygi and Mark Wilf, could come down the line.
Also, some smart people wouldn't be surprised if Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf, who have built a real estate empire in Eagan and operate out of New Jersey, consider becoming limited partners in the Twins.
The Wilf's aren't the only local connection that Walters makes either. Of course, when not needing to pay the full $1.7 billion freight, ownership becomes much more plausible in small chunks.
Cambria president Marty Davis, who is a substantial name, image and likeness (NIL) Gophers athletics financial booster, is telling people he's not interested in buying the Twins. But Davis, a Twins Champions Club member whose family's worth has been estimated at nearly $2 billion by Forbes, loves baseball, and it would be surprising if he doesn't get involved in an ownership transaction.
The Wilf family getting involved with the Minnesota Twins would be almost a complete 180-degree turn from the Pohlads. While the Wilf's spending is capped in the NFL due to league competition structures, it would not be in baseball.
They are an incredibly business savvy bunch and have made money through real estate transactions. The Wilf's have poured money into their franchise both on and off the field. Creating an epicenter for Vikings football down in Eagan surrounding the TCO Performance Center remains impressive, and it only continues to grow.
While Davis isn't the same prominent figurehead, his desire as a fan combined with his financial wherewithal, could prove to be fruitful as well.
Related: Report: Minnesota Twins Owners Still Plan to Sell
At any rate, we have seen how ownership operates under the Pohlad regime. No matter who, or how they are transitioned out, it will be for the better.
It didn't quite take a year for the Pohlads to pull the rug on a potential change of hope for fans. At that sort of outcome is to be expected from Minnesota Twins ownership. Hopefully it doesn't take another handful of years for hope to be dangled once again, though.
Related Headlines
