Cubs sold - Lovable losers fetch $900 million

[Robbien]

Source: AP

CHICAGO (AP) - The Chicago Cubs haven't won a World Series in 100 years, but they yielded a nice selling price. The billionaire Ricketts family has the winning $900 million bid for the Cubs. . . The sale includes Wrigley Field and a 25 percent interest in a regional sports network.

. . .

From the Chicago Trib:

The deal would represent a return to family ownership for the Cubs. . . The family patriarch, J. Joe Ricketts, grew up in Omaha, Neb., and started a discount stock brokerage. In the 1990s he transformed the company into an Internet trading powerhouse now known as TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. He is ranked among the world's billionaires, according to Forbes magazine, with an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion. Shares of the company are also owned by his wife and four children.

Tribune Co. put the Cubs up for sale in April 2007 upon announcing it would go private in a debt-laden $8.2billion transaction led by Chicago real-estate mogul Sam Zell. Selling the Cubs is needed to pay down debt.

Read more: http://www.wzzm13.com/sports/story.aspx?storyid=104486&catid=128

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$900 mil won't help the Trib much getting out from under the debt Sam Zell heaped on it.

[sasquatch]

1. Maybe they can get them over the hump, besides don't the Cubs always make money?

It's not a bad investment then.

[Robbien]

3. Yep, the Cubbies always makes money

The fans are die-hard believers where every year they believe this year may be the year.

[Dogmudgeon]

7. I live in Philly, and even I love the Cubs

Only the Phils rank above them in my book. When the two teams play, I maintain a respectful silence.

Sorry, Mr. President.*

--p!
* Yep, BHO is a Sox fan.

[RedCloud]

2. A sucker born every minute.

Go Cards!

[KamaAina]

4. Holy Cow!

That's a lotta cabbage... but hey, at least they aren't asking for a bailout!

[Ikonoklast]

5. Some day I want to be wealthy enough to buy a major-league baseball team.

I'd appoint myself manager.

We might not win them all, but we would have one hell of a lot of fun trying.

[classysassy]

9. Owners

can't manage their teams,the last owner to manage his team was Ted Turner.

[acmavm]

6. Yeah, his bald-headed 'just one of you folks' son tried to run for the

Senate here election before last. What a two-legged freak show.

[nyy1998]

8. I actually wouldn't mind seeing the Cubs finally win one

As long as it doesn't come against the Yanks of course :)