How the Ishbia brothers could change Twins baseball
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Phoenix Suns owners Mat (left) and Justin Ishbia have interest in the Twins. Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The two brothers reportedly interested in buying the Minnesota Twins already have a track record of creating a more fan-friendly franchise.
Catch up quick: The Pohlad family put the team up for sale this fall. Justin and Mat Ishbia, who made their money in private equity and their family's United Wholesale Mortgage, emerged as possible suitors last week.
Why it matters: The two brothers are worth nearly $15 billion combined, which would make them the second wealthiest MLB owners, behind the Mets' Steve Cohen, according to Forbes.
State of play: The two bought the NBA's Suns and WNBA's Mercury in 2022 and quickly made waves in Phoenix.
💰 The money: Shortly after the sale, the Suns traded for superstars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal and pushed the team's payroll to $218 million, the highest in the NBA.
- Meanwhile, the Pohlads have curtailed spending, and the Twins are projected to be in the bottom half of MLB payrolls next year.
📺 Television: The Ishbias bypassed big cable TV money to instead strike a deal with local TV stations to show Suns and Mercury games for free.
- "We're not focusing on money. We're focusing on winning, success and taking care of fans, taking care of the community," Mat told ESPN in 2023, when they announced the TV deal. "What happens is you always end up making money. It always works out."
- The Twins this offseason ended their longtime partnership with Diamond Sports and will have their games distributed by MLB, which has previously charged $20 a month or $100 a season.
🌭 Ballpark prices: On Wednesday, Mat announced a reduction in food prices at the Suns' arena, with hot dogs, peanuts, soda and bottled water all costing $2.
- The Twins have done something similar in recent years, selling $4 hot dogs and nachos and $5 cans of Bud/Bud Light at a small handful of stands.
Of note: Reports indicate that if the brothers buy the Twins, Justin would act as lead investor rather than Mat, who leads the Suns group.
Reality check: We're still a long way from a potential sale — and it's hard to fully assess the Ishbias based on only two years in Phoenix.