Report: Texas Rangers tried to buy Oklahoma City Redhawks.

[KenRagsdale]

Oklahoma scene: Texas Rangers tried to buy RedHawks, according to report | News OK

[FighttheGoodFight]

I think this would be good for OKC. Hope the deal works out.

[Jeepnokc]

Who owned it before Mandalay? Was it the Rangers? How much did Mandalay pay for the Redhawks because it sure doesn't seem like there has been any significant improvement over the last 4 years.

[OkieHornet]

i think the funks owned it before mandalay. at some point before the funks and after the cox/hamptons, jeffrey loria - miami marlins owner - owned them.

[Plutonic Panda]

I think this would be good for OKC. Hope the deal works out.

Can you explain why that would be? Not being sarcastic, honest question. I don't know that much about sports lol

[OKCisOK4me]

Yes this would be good cause we could hopefully be the farm team for the Rangers again instead of the dismal Astros.

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[borchard]

It would also mean that MAYBE the team wouldn't leave OKC. Houston wants a AAA affiliate closer to them, either by moving a team to The Woodlands, or by buying the Round Rock Express.

[SoonerDave]

I dunno....seems a lot of MLB teams are moving their AAA clubs within a very short distance - and by that I mean shorter than OKC-to-Dallas (well, Arlington). Suspect someone behind the scenes with the city and the club know more than anyone is allowed to say at this point.

Hope we don't lose the baseball team. Great way to spend a summer afternoon.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Can you explain why that would be? Not being sarcastic, honest question. I don't know that much about sports lol

I know there was some uncertainty after the Astros contract ended that the team might be moved closer to Houston. I am hoping this would keep the team here.

[bluedogok]

The Rangers do have their AA team in Frisco.

Here is an article from Monday in the Austin Business Journal with a little more info than the paywall Statesman story that I posted in the other Redhawks thread.
Austin Business Journal - Round Rock Express may switch back to Astros, report says

[zookeeper]

The Rangers do have their AA team in Frisco.

Here is an article from Monday in the Austin Business Journal with a little more info than the paywall Statesman story that I posted in the other Redhawks thread.
Austin Business Journal - Round Rock Express may switch back to Astros, report says

Sounds like they're trying to work out a Triple-A swap with Round Rock. It really just makes sense. I hope it all works out.

[borchard]

Sounds like they're trying to work out a Triple-A swap with Round Rock. It really just makes sense. I hope it all works out.

I think what OKC people should be concerned about is if this swap goes through, what would stop the Rangers from then swapping internally, making Frisco their AAA franchise, and Oklahoma City their AA franchise?

[OKCretro]

I think what OKC people should be concerned about is if this swap goes through, what would stop the Rangers from then swapping internally, making Frisco their AAA franchise, and Oklahoma City their AA franchise?

I bet we could blame that on Funk as well if it happens

[Just the facts]

I agree with several of the posters above that this isn't good for OKC. As pointed out, several MLB teams are moving their farm teams closer to the parent team - which makes sense for multiple reasons. I wish MLB was in a position to expand but their cost structure is so out of control they can't even keep the teams they already have, let alone add more. Maybe a new baseball league is needed OR we look to see what it would cost to remodel the stadium to a soccer stadium.

[OkieHornet]

I think what OKC people should be concerned about is if this swap goes through, what would stop the Rangers from then swapping internally, making Frisco their AAA franchise, and Oklahoma City their AA franchise?

that's something i hadn't thought of. the frisco stadium holds about 10,000, but they're owned by mandalay, not the rangers.

[borchard]

Here is s short history of ownership I could find on the ol' interwebs:
July 13, 1989: The Oklahoma City 89ers Baseball Club will be sold at the end of the current season to an investment group...The "general" partners and "personal" partners in the purchasing group are Jeffery H. Loria and Marvin S. Goldklang.
July 21, 2002: Associated Press-- Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan has lost interest in buying the Oklahoma RedHawks but the team has other prospective buyers.
Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks is still looking at the team. Tulsa oil man Stuart Price may also be interested. Gaylord Entertainment Co. of Nashville announced its intention to sell the RedHawks in February. Gaylord Entertainment bought the team from Loria, who now owns the major league Florida Marlins, for a minor league baseball record $8 million in 1993.
July 3, 2003: Gaylord Entertainment Company today announced it has agreed to sell its approximate 76% interest in the Oklahoma City RedHawks...to The Oklahoma Baseball Club LLC.
June 10, 2010: Daily Oklahoman reports Bob Funk Jr. looking to sell the Redhawks to Mandalay Sports
Sept 15, 2010: Mandalay Baseball Properties, LLC (MBP) is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Oklahoma City RedHawks franchise in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) from OKC Athletic Club, LP, principally owned by Robert Funk Sr. and Scott Pruitt.

[borchard]

that's something i hadn't thought of. the frisco stadium holds about 10,000, but they're owned by mandalay, not the rangers.

Mandalay Baseball Properties on the block | News
They are looking to sell their MiLB properties.

[Laramie]

I think what OKC people should be concerned about is if this swap goes through, what would stop the Rangers from then swapping internally, making Frisco their AAA franchise, and Oklahoma City their AA franchise?

Good read borchard:

That's something we need to be concerned about. The AAA franchise could end up in Frisco, TX where they have built a 10,000-seat ballpark and a seperate 20,000-seat stadium for MLS soccer. Frisco is a mini version of Arlington, TX. The Rangers previously had their AAA & AA franchises in Oklahoma (OKC-Tulsa).

What would stop the Rangers from moving their AAA franchise to Frisco, TX if they owned the team? Wasn't that the reason Bob Funk Sr., dropped his pursuit of MLS? He wanted to save AAA baseball in OKC?

The baseball facility in Frisco (Dr. Pepper Ballpark) seats 10,316 which is adequate for supporting baseball on the AAA level.

Dr. Pepper Stadium (AA Texas League) Frisco, TX: Dr Pepper Ballpark - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Toyota Stadium (MLS Soccer) Frisco, TX: Toyota Stadium (Texas) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

IMO: Don't know how Oklahoma City baseball fans would react to having one of the best facilities in AAA baseball and taking a step down to AA baseball in the Rangers' organization? Count me out, if we were to lose AAA baseball; would favor reconfiguration and structural changes (increase seating to 20,000 plus) to the Bricktown Ballpark's retrofit to accommodate American football and MLS soccer specific.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[OkieHornet]

in the past, with local ownership, i wouldn't have worried about the aaa-team moving to be replaced with an aa-team. but mandalay probably doesn't have much interest in who buys the team and if they keep it here, just if they get their money.

so that's an interesting point to bring up for sure if the rangers do end up purchasing the redhawks. i wonder if the city would have any say on what franchise plays at bricktown ballpark since it's city-owned?

i was a little surprised the redhawks' price range is around $20 million. i have no knowledge of minor-league team prices, but thought it would've been more.

[Laramie]

in the past, with local ownership, i wouldn't have worried about the aaa-team moving to be replaced with an aa-team. but mandalay probably doesn't have much interest in who buys the team and if they keep it here, just if they get their money.

so that's an interesting point to bring up for sure if the rangers do end up purchasing the redhawks. i wonder if the city would have any say on what franchise plays at bricktown ballpark since it's city-owned?

i was a little surprised the redhawks' price range is around $20 million. i have no knowledge of minor-league team prices, but thought it would've been more.

The Funks purchased the RedHawks for $10 million around 2003; that was the same price they could have obtained an MLS franchise which Bob Funk Sr., abandoned. The value of the RedHawks has double in the last eleven years.

"Oklahoma City looks oh-so pretty... ...as I get my kicks on Route 66." --Nat King Cole.

[KenRagsdale]

There is a reason The Texas Ranger Baseball Club offer could not meet the $20MM price tag required by Mandalay. So much for professional baseball leaving Oklahoma City. The club is valuable That you may know: more "Bonus Babies" and "Can't miss future prospects" are provided a venue in "AA" baseball than "AAA" baseball. The club has a tremendous amount of money invested in these prospects. If they have significant monies invested in the prospect, and the prospect has the "Wow" factor, he'll never see "AAA". "AA" baseball, as opposed to "AAA" baseball, wouldn't bother me in the least.

[td25er]

There is a reason The Texas Ranger Baseball Club offer could not meet the $20MM price tag required by Mandalay. So much for professional baseball leaving Oklahoma City. The club is valuable That you may know: more "Bonus Babies" and "Can't miss future prospects" are provided a venue in "AA" baseball than "AAA" baseball. The club has a tremendous amount of money invested in these prospects. If they have significant monies invested in the prospect, and the prospect has the "Wow" factor, he'll never see "AAA". "AA" baseball, as opposed to "AAA" baseball, wouldn't bother me in the least.

Yeah, the big prospects tend to skip AAA. AA baseball is a good product. As a HUGE baseball fan who played in college, I honestly wouldn't mind losing the Redhawks if it meant getting an MLS team.

[SoonerDave]

Yeah, the big prospects tend to skip AAA. AA baseball is a good product. As a HUGE baseball fan who played in college, I honestly wouldn't mind losing the Redhawks if it meant getting an MLS team.

Ouch. I realize soccer is a bigger deal now than it has been over the years, but I just can't second that idea. Think OKC needs to work hard to keep its baseball roots.

[td25er]

Ouch. I realize soccer is a bigger deal now than it has been over the years, but I just can't second that idea. Think OKC needs to work hard to keep its baseball roots.

I agree, but I'd love for OKC to get another "major" pro team, and I personally think MLS is the only thing we could support. There is not enough youth ice hockey involvement to support NHL. There is no way this market could fill a 35k+ MLB stadium 81 times, and NFL would have to compete with OU and Dallas. I actually think soccer could work.

But yes, hopefully they can work out the Redhawks situation.

[JesStang]

I love this purely for selfish reasons! The Rangers are my team, not the Astros. I love to be able to go see the guys who are rehabbing and to watch new guys before they go pro. That's the reason Mitch Moreland is my favorite Ranger; he played in OKC before moving up! Hopefully this happens and they keep the team here!


Oh and two big thumbs down for soccer!