Lucchino looks to sell WooSox

[RF1]

Looks like Larry is following the classic sell when the value is highest before it is expected drop.


Larry Lucchino is looking to sell Worcester Red Sox
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/lar ... sEroCyxSxk

[KeaneyBluBallz]

Larry lucchino is satan.

Fuck him.

[DuneClub]

I always thought the risk was there for WooSox. The game is in decline even though it has many things going for it. I don't know the financials surrounding the paying for the new park but I would think it would make a sale more difficult.
It was too bad PawSox had to go but it was a good thing the pols knew how to say no if it just didn't work for them anymore. Telling Larry they knew their limitations - do what you have to do.

[RF1]

I always thought the risk was there for WooSox. The game is in decline even though it has many things going for it. I don't know the financials surrounding the paying for the new park but I would think it would make a sale more difficult.
It was too bad PawSox had to go but it was a good thing the pols knew how to say no if it just didn't work for them anymore. Telling Larry they knew their limitations - do what you have to do.

Most of the cost for the $159M Polar Park was picked up by the City of Worcester. The city floated bonds in excess of some $100M and promised that new tax revenues (from new businesses around park) would pay for it. The bond repayment schedule was structured to start off low in the early years and then begin to dramatically rise. The reasoning for this was that it would take time for the new businesses to get built and established. Tax revenues in the first three seasons were however not enough to cover the lower payments. The city was fortunate that it had made some unexpected money off the sale of land in the new district that covered the shortfalls. It will not have that luxury going forward. Things are likely to soon get tough with bond repayments as Covid slowed development and many original proposed buildings were delayed with some reduced in scope even before shovels went into the ground. I would imagine there will soon be bad PR and ill will toward the team when the city starts to have problems paying off the bonds.

I have to think WooSox management is somewhat concerned that attendance may have already plateaued. Crowds are typically at their highs in the early years for a new team and new stadium. The WooSox average attendance in years 2 and 3 was relatively static at about 7,350 (total attendance between 519-532K) . This is some 2,000 less than the best years at the then 60 year old McCoy Stadium. This is about 150,000 less people per season than in Pawtucket when the team had over six seasons above 600,000 in a nine year span from 2001-09. Furthermore, the WooSox were called out by local media early in the season as the reported attendance numbers appeared to be no where near the people in the park. Ownership was very coy when questioned and it was assumed that the number of tickets sold was being reported and there were likely many no shows (especially early) this season as opposed to its first two years. The WooSox who had often publicly regularly touted their attendance numbers in the first two seasons of Polar Park went quiet this year after being questioned. There were no attendance updates throughout the season or even at the end as the team was conspicuously silent on the matter. As you mentioned, baseball has been in decline and the poor recent performance seasons of the parent Boston Red Sox and their decline in regional fan interest and attendance also does not help.

[RhowdyRam02]

I always thought the risk was there for WooSox. The game is in decline even though it has many things going for it. I don't know the financials surrounding the paying for the new park but I would think it would make a sale more difficult.
It was too bad PawSox had to go but it was a good thing the pols knew how to say no if it just didn't work for them anymore. Telling Larry they knew their limitations - do what you have to do.

Baseball had been in decline but this year saw attendance numbers throughout the league pickup, most likely due to the rules put in place to speed up the game. We'll find out if it was just a one year blip or if it's the start of a larger trend.

Also, any credit I would give the politicians for taking a stand with baseball got pissed away by the terrible soccer stadium deal

[theblueram]

Just imagine the uproar in this state if the taxpayers built a new stadium and two years later the PawSox were for sale????? People would be losing their minds.

[KeaneyBluBallz]

I hope someone buys the woosox and moves the team New Mexico

[RF1]

I hope someone buys the woosox and moves the team New Mexico

The team is unlikely to leave Worcester any time soon as it still has over 30 years left on its lease. It would be extremely expensive to buy out at present.

[RF1]

DBH reaches agreement to buy Worcester Red Sox
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/A ... 5feddd1c20

[RhowdyRam02]

Fuck Larry Lucchino forever

[hrstrat57]

Who is this outfit that appears to now control most of Sawx farm system and many others?

Smells pretty sketchy?

[RF1]

Who is this outfit that appears to now control most of Sawx farm system and many others?

Smells pretty sketchy?

It is based out of NYC and owned by Endeavor Group Holdings of Beverly Hills, CA. So much for Lucchino's words of three weeks ago that he wanted to sell the WooSox to a "local buyer". Larry once again shows himself to be a snake.

[KeaneyBluBallz]

Who is this outfit that appears to now control most of Sawx farm system and many others?

Smells pretty sketchy?

same company that owns UFC and WWE.

[STC]

“To describe DBH’s expansion as rapid is an understatement. Founded by Endeavor in December 2021, DBH already owns over 21% of Major League Baseball’s 120 minor league affiliates. Since the beginning of October alone, they’ve purchased the Double-A Tulsa Drillers (Los Angeles Dodgers), Triple-A Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles), and the Fresno Grizzlies and Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes (both Colorado Rockies). If the league approves this sale, the WooSox will be DBH’s 27th team.” - Boston Herald

[RhowdyRam02]

Larry Lucchino dead at 78

[SGreenwell]

Larry Lucchino dead at 78

Adding in a link: https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/lar ... n-red-sox/

[RhowdyRam02]

Larry Lucchino dead at 78

Adding in a link: https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/lar ... n-red-sox/

You just did more for him than he ever did for us

[RF1]

I will not be shedding any tears.

[KeaneyBluBallz]

While I appreciate what he did for the Red Sox when he was part of the ownership group there, I will never get over how he single handedly destroyed the Pawsox. He wanted no part of RI in any way, shape, or form. He wanted the Pawsox, got them, and took them away.

Save me the Gina and Mattiello speak. The state could have 100% funded a brand new ballpark on taxpayer dollars, LL was leaving RI no matter what.

RI will never have another baseball team thanks to him.

[hrstrat57]

Loved the PawSox

Love the 4 flags more

RIP

[RF1]

I would think most Rhode Islanders have nothing but warm wishes for Larry.

[KeaneyBluBallz]

I would think most Rhode Islanders have nothing but warm wishes for Larry.

why?

[RhowdyRam02]

I would think most Rhode Islanders have nothing but warm wishes for Larry.

why?

You might need to change the batteries in your sarcasm detector. Look at their last post before the one you responded to

[KeaneyBluBallz]

I would think most Rhode Islanders have nothing but warm wishes for Larry.

why?

You might need to change the batteries in your sarcasm detector. Look at their last post before the one you responded to

my what?

[RF1]

Today's WooSox game has been cancelled for the second straight day due to the weather. It was for rain yesterday but today Polar Park is covered in snow. The home opener was however able to be played on Tuesday as the team reported a crowd of 8,422 in the 9,508 capacity stadium. The loss of two separate gate crowds (one game will become part of a single admission DH and the other will be played at Buffalo) so early in the season is not a good start.

[RhowdyRam02]

Today's WooSox game has been cancelled for the second straight day due to the weather. It was for rain yesterday but today Polar Park is covered in snow. The home opener was however able to be played on Tuesday as the team reported a crowd of 8,422 in the 9,508 capacity stadium. The loss of two separate gate crowds (one game will become part of a single admission DH and the other will be played at Buffalo) so early in the season is not a good start.

What an embarrassment to only get 8422 at their home opener. The PawSox 2015 home opener, the last one before the Lucchino group shit all over McCoy and the RI market drew 10,258.

It breaks my heart that they're suffering at the gate early

[steviep123]

A good friend of mine lives near Worcester and every summer is trying to get me to go to both WooSox games as well as the Worcester Bravehearts (who play at Holy Cross). I always go to the latter, but will refuse the WooSox. There may come a day when I go to a WooSox game, but it is not this day.

[RhowdyRam02]

A good friend of mine lives near Worcester and every summer is trying to get me to go to both WooSox games as well as the Worcester Bravehearts (who play at Holy Cross). I always go to the latter, but will refuse the WooSox. There may come a day when I go to a WooSox game, but it is not this day.

The only ways I can see myself going to Polar Park is if our football game at Holy Cross in 2025 is played there or if Holy Cross hosts our baseball team there. And if our football game gets played there I'm going to piss and moan constantly about that bullshit

[RF1]

Even though I went to college in Worcester and worked and lived in the area for close to a decade, I have vowed to never attend an event there. Have had plenty of opportunities (some even freebies) with friends and family but have turned them all down.

[KeaneyBluBallz]

same. I won't go. I can't.