Mark Cuban, known for his interest in owning his hometown team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, has once again clarified why this is unlikely to happen, despite the hopes of many fans. The 66-year-old billionaire, who co-owns the Dallas Mavericks, recently discussed the issue after a Pittsburgh fan on the social media platform X urged him to buy the Pirates.
The topic resurfaced when another user reminded everyone that Cuban had previously addressed this matter in 2006. At that time, Cuban explained that the current owners are unlikely to sell the team due to its profitability. The user recalled, “I talked with Mark Cuban about buying the team back in 2006. He loves the Pirates but says the owners will NEVER sell due to their business model. They aren’t required to spend money, so they never do, and they make big profits every year through TV and everything else.”
Bob Nutting, the owner of the Pirates, has kept the team’s payroll low while benefiting from Major League Baseball’s revenue-sharing system, making the franchise a lucrative investment.
Cuban highlighted that Nutting seems indifferent to public criticism because the financial rewards are substantial. He illustrated this with an analogy: “If someone offered you a job that paid $25 million or more per year to stand in Market Square and let the entire city of Pittsburgh yell at you, would you take that job? That job is owning the Pirates.”
This analogy succinctly explains why Nutting remains comfortable with the current situation, despite the dissatisfaction of the fans.
Leave a Reply