Minor league owner and friend of the Wilpons, Gary Green weighs in on the business of baseball ownership and the state of the New York Mets.
“Nobody wants to win more than the Wilpons”
Ever wonder what it’s like to own a sports team? How about three teams and a sports media brand? New York businessman Gary Green can tell you. The minor league baseball mogul oversees the Omaha Storm Chasers, Richmond Flying Squirrels, and Montgomery Biscuits, as well as being the managing partner of the classic media brand Baseball America.
Gary has an established real estate business, but when the chance to jump into sports franchise ownership came along, it was an opportunity this long time New York Mets fan couldn’t pass up. His first purchase was the Connecticut Defenders, who then became the Richmond Flying Squirrels.
“You can’t fake it in minor league baseball” says Green who speaks with a youthful enthusiasm that immediately proves his point. “It is a business, but it’s much more, it’s a passion”. After cutting his teeth with the Richmond club, an opportunity unlike any other presented itself.
“I went to meet with Warren Buffett to talk business, but we just talked baseball.” Green and his cohorts purchased the Omaha Storm Chasers from Warren freaking Buffett in 2012 after Buffett owned the team for 21 years. “He was testing me” said Green about their first meeting “It didn’t feel like a test because it came natural to me, that’s what made it work.”
“I went to talk business, but we just ended up talking baseball” – @UnionChasersCEO on purchasing the @OMAStormChasers from Warren Buffett. Full Story in bio. pic.twitter.com/FPrqA9DL5V
— ESNY (@EliteSportsNY) March 31, 2020
Next came the Montgomery Biscuits in 2017 and running the new look Baseball America, which will be heavily investing in podcasts, social and digital in the coming months.
Green doesn’t yet have plans of owning a Major League team, but has thoughts on the rollercoaster off-season for Mets ownership.
“Nobody wants to win more than the Wilpons, they are just as hungry for winning and success as their rabid fan base. If they do end up selling it could be because of necessity rather than a want, and I still think Steve Cohen will factor into this at some point.”
We’ll have to wait and see how the ownership situation unfolds in Flushing.
