For some time, Jeff Moorad, who used to be an agent, has been trying to gain majority control of the San Diego Padres. To that end, his ownership group already owned 49 percent of the franchise and Moorad’s been serving as Padres CEO.
Jeff Moorad Drops Bid To Purchase Padres
Jeff Moorad has been working for some years to purchase controlling interest in the San Diego Padres, but has finally given up because of staunch opposition from a number of MLB’s team owners.
Well, no more. In the face of apparently insurmountable opposition from too many current MLB owners, Moorad has resigned as CEO and will drop his bid to gain control of the franchise, leaving majority owner John Moores to renew his search for a new purchaser. Danny Knobler (via CBSSports.com):
The club of major-league owners is like just about any other club.
If you want in, you’d better have people already there who want you in. And not people who badly want to keep you out.
Jeff Moorad wanted to be an owner, wanted to be in the club. The club didn’t want him, something that has become clearer and clearer in recent weeks.
Moorad needed 22 votes of approval to become the Padres owner. He didn’t have them.
--snip--
According to sources, Moorad had two strong voices campaigning against him, in White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick. Moorad was a limited partner of Kendrick’s before leaving to buy the Padres, and the breakup didn’t go well.
I don’t have much to add. I once interviewed for a job with Jeff Moorad, but that was 16 years ago and all I remember is that I ate risotto for the first time and it tasted really good.
The takeaway from this piece, of course, is that it’s not difficult to get rejected by eight baseball owners. Most of us would get rejected by a lot more than eight. I’m just a little surprised it’s all taken so long. In 2005, Jeff Moorad gave up his sports agency to become minority owner of the Diamondbacks; four years later, he put together a group that ultimately owned 49 percent of the Padres.
So it’s taken seven years for everyone to decide, once and for all, the Moorad doesn’t get to join the club. Which seems like a long time. But you know that sometimes the wheels of justice grind slowly. Or the wheels of something, anyway.
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