You can now buy the Miami Marlins — for a nice chunk of change
Jeffrey Loria may finally be interested in selling the Miami Marlins.
He definitely seems to be starting high.
According to Forbes, “the buzz among sports bankers” is that Loria — the controversial owner of the Marlins — had let people know the team and its ballpark (which is owned by the county but run by the team) can be had for $1.7 billion.
Yes, $1.7 billion.
With a ‘B.’
No one, including Forbes, thinks the Marlins will fetch such a high price as they themselves valued the Marlins at $675 million — which ranks 29th out of the 30 major league teams.
Only the Tampa Bay Rays, who are desperate to escape Tropicana Field in St. Pete, are valued less than the Fish.
In 2012, the Los Angeles Dodgers sold for $2 billion.
According to Forbes, the Marlins do make a little bit of money even though team president David Samson says the team is “last in the league in revenue.”
Today in 1991: @Marlins signed first player in franchise history, Clemente Nunez. Never got past AA, threw a no-hitter in minors, retired... pic.twitter.com/L19oNJoJmm
— ProFanz (@ProFanzForum) December 16, 2016
Thanks to their $25 million in revenue sharing, the team made a $15 million profit during the 2015 season.
FORBES: How Jeffrey Loria And The Miami Marlins Are The Perpetual Pain In MLB's Behind
The Marlins will host baseball’s All-Star week this coming season as well as the World Baseball Classic.
The team says they hope to have a corporate naming partner for Marlins Park, which opened in 2012, soon.
This story was originally published December 16, 2016 at 8:07 AM with the headline "You can now buy the Miami Marlins — for a nice chunk of change."