Baseball's 1922 Anti-Trust Exemption makes Sam Zell just conversation

(ChicagoSports): "Yet (Sam) Zell has to conduct the auction knowing that MLB's owners have the final say in approving the transaction.

• Unlike other sports,

• baseball can block sales and franchise moves because of a

• unique antitrust exemption created by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1922....

The Cubs, one of baseball's flagship franchises and also one of its most financially valuable despite its losing ways, won't be unloaded to just any wealthy individual, said Steve Stone, the former Cubs and current Chicago White Sox broadcaster....

• It also doesn't hurt if the new owner already has Selig's phone number
• on speed dial, Stone said.

Even if that individual or group is not the highest bidder. The winning bidder for the Boston Red Sox in 2002 was a group led by John Henry, who owned the Florida Marlins. His group included Tom Werner, a former owner of the San Diego Padres, and Larry Lucchino, former president of the Padres and Baltimore Orioles.

• Their $700 million offer was $90 million less than a rival offer, leading to accusations from the Massachusetts attorney general that the sale was rigged....

Three deals after the Red Sox sale also involved well-connected individuals. California real estate developer

• Lewis Wolff, who bought the Oakland Athletics in 2005, went to the University of Wisconsin

• with Selig where they were

• fraternity brothers.

In 2006, Cincinnati businessman Robert Castellini led a group that purchased control of his hometown team, the Reds. Castellini had previously been part of the St. Louis Cardinals' ownership group.

• That same year, the Washington Nationals were sold to Theodore Lerner, a prominent real-estate developer in the Washington, D.C., area. (Who) received a boost when Stan Kasten, the former president of the Atlanta Braves, joined his ownership group."...

From Chicago Tribune, 7/6/08

• (It's impossible to believe the 1922 exemption intended to protect what's going on today. Unfortunately, Doug Pappas is no longer living. When he was alive, one could actually imagine the exemption would be repealed someday (at least I could by reading his work). That is no longer the case). sm

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