Sell The Team, Bob? Not Going to Happen

The silent protester was in full view of a national television audience.

The fan sat in the front row at Progressive Field in Cleveland last Saturday watching the New York Yankees win the American League Championship over the Guardians. He was wearing an unbuttoned Pittsburgh Pirates jersey and underneath a T-shirt that read “SELL THE TEAM” in block capital letters.

I don’t know how much money the fan paid for such a prime seat, but it had to be a lot. It goes to show the lengths that some disgruntled Pirates fans will go to express their disgust with Bob Nutting.

You don’t need to scroll through social media very long to realize that many fans dislike Nutting. However, it is not just the keyboard warriors on platforms such as X and Facebook who are fed up with Nutting and the current organization.

Plenty of diehard fans have also shared with me the sentiment of wanting Nutting to divest himself of the Pirates. These are not crackpots. They are hardcore fans who buy tickets, watch games on television and listen to them on the radio.

These are reasonable people and not social media trolls trying to get more followers, retweets and likes. They genuinely care about the Pirates.

Yet here’s the thing – and I hate to be the bearer of bad news – but Nutting will not be selling the Pirates anytime soon.

It does not make financial sense for Nutting to divest. Forbes estimated that the Pirates made a $68-million operating profit in 2023 despite going 76-86, a record they duplicated this year.

Full self-disclosure here, I have written stories for Forbes’ website. However, I have every reason to believe Forbes’ estimates are accurate based on the reputation of publishing a financial magazine since 1917.

If a businessman can make a large profit with an inferior product while receiving revenue-sharing money from Major League Baseball, why in the world would he sell?

One might think pride might have something to do with it. The Pirates haven’t won a postseason series since beating the Baltimore Orioles in the 1979 World Series.

Yet losing doesn’t seem to bother Nutting or club president Travis Williams. They paint a rosy picture during the few times they make public appearances.

An executive from another National League team asked me earlier this year: Do the Pirates ever get so sick of losing that they want to do something about it?

The answer is no.

Having a larger payroll would only cut into the profits. Money talks and competitiveness walks in the Pirates’ world as evidenced by them finishing over .500 once in nine years since making three postseason appearances in a row from 2013-15.

And as far as MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred potentially forcing Nutting to sell? The answer is again no. Manfred also prefers profits over competitiveness.

And for those who hope the city, county or state can coerce Nutting into selling? The answer is again no. The Pirates might be a public trust to many, but they are a private business by law, and the government can’t force Nutting to do anything.

In fact, Nutting holds the cards because the Pirates’ lease at PNC Park expires after the 2030 season. I can hear the threats of the team being moved to Nashville, Salt Lake City, Charlotte, Portland or Wheeling.

The good news would be Nutting leaving town. The bad news would be the Pirates leaving with him.