The Braves open their 11th season under Liberty Media’s ownership Thursday, a longer tenure than most observers expected when the Colorado-based company bought the team in a tax-driven transaction.
Braves chairman Terry McGuirk was asked Tuesday, in a wide-ranging state-of-the-franchise interview with three Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporters, how much longer he expects Liberty to own the team at this point.
“I never had an expectation. It was always one year after the next,” McGuirk replied. “It has lasted long enough that I think there’s not a time that I could see it ending in the future.
“Obviously, everything comes to an end, but they enjoy it. It has been very successful in appreciation (of franchise value).”
The Braves were valued at $450 million when Liberty Media bought the franchise in May 2007. Forbes last year estimated the Braves to be worth $1.5 billion.
Sports franchises typically are valued based on multiples of their annual revenue.
“We have provided that,” McGuirk said, referring to the Braves’ revenue growth, “so nobody has really suggested there’s a time in the future that this (ownership) will end.”
Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said he met with Liberty Media executives after taking the job.
“I went out to Colorado, and they’re fully supportive,” Anthopoulos said. “They want to know about the team. They want to know about winning.
“They didn’t ask me about payroll or how much money we’re going to save. It’s, ‘Where is this team? Where are we headed? When are we going to win?’”
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