In news that will shock most Sabres fans, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that former Sabres owner Tom Golisano is preparing a bid for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Golisano, who sold the Sabres less than a year ago to Terry Pegula, said “baseball has been my favorite sport all my life. I would welcome the opportunity to own such a fine franchise.” Of course, Golisano profited handsomely after purchasing the Sabres from bankruptcy and selling them to Pegula. Given that, it’s not surprising that he’s interested in investing in another sports franchise, especially one that is tied up in bankruptcy proceedings. But it is surprising that he is making a bid on the famed Dodgers franchise – a purchase that will likely cost about $1 billion. Forbes estimates Golisano’s net worth is approximately $1.4 billion.
Golisano will face some headwinds in his bid for the Dodgers as there is a growing campaign to ensure the next owner is an Angeleno. Golisano has never been to Dodgers Stadium and is a self-professed lifelong Yankees fan. Responding to criticism that he was too frugal as the owner of the Sabres, Golisano responded “there is no direct relationship between how much you spend and how much you win.”
This news will surprise Buffalo fans and media. Just a few days ago, Buffalo News reporter Mike Harrington laughed at the notion of Golisano bidding for the Dodgers:
Given the high profile nature of the Dodgers franchise and Golisano’s outsider status, he’s a long shot to land the team. But he’s getting his bid in first which may matter. If he succeeds in buying the Dodgers, we can go ahead and cross him name off the list of potential bidders for the Bills.