Part 15/19:
The episode also covers how MLB teams are shedding minor league holdings, selling to private companies like Diamond Baseball Holdings in a move that is more about asset recycling than strategic growth. Jim Crane, owner of the Astros, praises this shift as an effective way to offload headaches and focus resources on the major league club.
He stresses that owning minor league teams was historically a way for organizations to control prospects and infrastructure but became burdensome due to costs and management hassles. The new model of selling off these assets aligns with a broader trend—leveraging private equity to maximize profits, often at the expense of community engagement and development.