Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is on cloud nine after his Mavericks took their talents to South Beach and defeated The Miami Heat to become NBA Champions. First and foremost Cuban is a fan of sports and he not the usual uptight owner that we are accustomed to seeing. Cuban took over The Mavericks in 2000 and has steadily built them into a model for success in The NBA. Cuban has tried to venture into purchasing another sports franchise and was rebuffed on both occasions. Cuban tried to purchase both The Chicago Cubs and The Texas Rangers only to be given the runaround by Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig. To me Cuban was used as a pawn on both occasions to drive the bidding price up for both franchises. In the case of The Rangers, Cuban actually bid more than the group led by Nolan Ryan that acquired The Rangers for an estimated 394 million dollars.
The Los Angeles Dodgers appear to be the latest Major League franchise up for sale and neither Selig or Cuban can let this opportunity pass by. Current Dodger owner Frank McCourt is on the verge of losing the team due to the divorce proceedings with his wife and his inability to meet the team’s payroll. The Dodgers were once a proud franchise and the need to reclaim that glory. Dodger fans are hurting as their rivals to the north The San Francisco Giants just claimed a World Series Championship last season. The hurt by Dodger fans can be seen at the gate. According to ESPN’s Arash Markazi attendance is down 16.7 percent from this point last season.
Selig will soon step in as McCourt tv deal with Fox wasn’t approved by Selig thus leaving the cash strapped McCourt not being able to meet the team’s payroll at the end of the month. Selig has kept a close eye on McCourt because Selig believes things should be done in the best interest of baseball, so why not allow Cuban to take over this franchise? Cuban’s name alone would have an immediate impact on The Dodgers from ticket sales to merchandising. The section of seats in left field that were once called “Mannywood” for former Dodger outfielder Manny Ramirez could be changed to “Cubanwood”. Cuban once gave out free chalupas to Maverick fans after home games in which the team won and scored over 100 points. Now The Mavericks are the sixth highest valued NBA franchise and that is a testament to Cuban.
Cuban has the ability to sell water to a whale and he can make Southern California once again proud of The Dodgers. The Dodgers last won The World Series in 1988 and they haven’t had ownership consistency since then. Once The O’Malley family bowed out in the 90’s it has been shaky at the top of the organization and if the top is not in order, the rest of the franchise will follow. The O’Malley family believed in “The Dodger Way” which consisted of players being developed through the minors and developing into solid major league players. The Dodgers still have a strong farm system with current players such as Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw who have developed into solid players. New York Yankees catcher Russell Martin and Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre came through the organization and flourished in Dodger Blue before moving on.
As laid back as Southern California fans can be, they still want to see success with their sports franchises and that involves a commitment to winning by the owners. The Lakers have spoiled everyone in the region and now it is time for The Dodgers to step up. I don’t care that Cuban is outspoken, to me that is good for sports because he is different. Cuban is not a suit and tie guy that leisures around the country club. Cuban is a man of the people. Cuban will sit down in the outfield bleachers and have a dodger dog and hear what fans have to say. Cuban will greet fans at the entrance of Dodger Stadium to show that he cares. Principal Selig may call him into his office if he is critical of umpiring and Cuban can care less. The bottom line is Cuban is dedicated to winning. Since Cuban took over The Mavericks they have gone from a team that was consistently a doormat to a team that is a perennial title contender. Cuban’s Mavs finally broke through this season and some credit has to be given to him for his dedication to putting a winning product on the field.
Los Angeles is the second largest media market in the country and Cuban can take advantage of that. With the revenue that Cuban could generate from a television deal and ticket sales they sky would be the limit. If Cuban took over The Dodgers they could be The Yankees of the west as they would be consistently in the title picture with an owner that expects results. His methods are different, but the bottom line is Cuban wants to win.
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