SI.com has a feature on the best owners in the sport, and the Steinbrenner family comes in at number 4:
If you’re one of those fans who believe the Boss & Family are ruining baseball with their liberal spending, well, there’s a case to put them in the worst category. But if you’re a Yankees fan, you couldn’t ask for a better owner. The Steinbrenners run a billion-dollar organization that treasures professionalism and success above everything else. They’re as committed as any team in professional sports, both at putting a superstar product onto the field and building the brand into one of the most powerful in the sporting world. And even though it’s been nine years since they last won a World Series, the family’s devotion to improving the team in any way possible is beyond a doubt — no matter the cost. You may not like them, but admit it — you’re envious.
The Steinbrenners come in just ahead of Stu Sternberg of the Rays, while landing behind the Red Sox group (#1), Arturo Moreno of the Angels (#2), and Bill DeWItt of the Cardinals. I am not sure how DeWitt comes in ahead of the Steinbrenners, nor do I see how Sternberg touches this list after one good season. I think you could quibble with the order of the other selections, but you would be splitting hairs and would likely need a more precise definition of what makes a good owner to really make an argument. I do think that it is interesting to note that none of the owners on the list outside of the Steinbrenners have owned their team for more than 15 years, and all except DeWitt purchased their clubs in the last seven years. Seems to me that we may have a bias here towards recent owners who have had success this decade.
What do you think about the list?
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