Monumental Sports & Entertainment chairman, Ted Leonsis, is making moves that could have huge ramifications for the DMV sports world long term.
Leonsis, who already owns the Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, and Capital City Go-Go franchises, is looking into making a serious bid to land the Washington Nationals along with partner David Rubenstein. MSE is also in the process of fully purchasing NBC Sports Washington with the intention of creating a one-of-a-kind streaming platform in the future.
Now comes a report from Bloomberg that Leonsis and Rubenstein, who is a Baltimore native, would “consider” purchasing the Orioles if they ever up come up for sale.
The Orioles are valued to be worth $1.63 billion, the 18th most valuable franchise in the MLB.
While the Orioles aren’t currently available, its ownership, Peter Angelos’s family, is currently engaged in a lawsuit to determine the future of the team. Louis Angelos sued his brother John and mother Georgia in Baltimore Circuit County Court for John purportedly seizing control of the team. Louis believes that went against his father’s wishes of his sons running the team together.
“The purpose of this lawsuit is simple,” the lawsuit read per The Baltimore Banner. “Peter Angelos created a trust for the express purpose of ensuring that his sons would share equally in decision-making and inheritance of all family assets, including the Orioles. John Angelos, however, has been working secretly to undermine his father’s intentions and to gain unilateral control. Lou Angelos is compelled to bring this action to set things right.”
The lawsuit also floated that with this controlling power, John could move the team to Tennessee where he has a home – a charge John vehemently denied.
It’s worth noting that in the MLB, no owner is allowed to own more than one franchise. So it appears Leonsis and Rubenstein are focusing on trying to land the Nationals first. If that falls through, they may target the Orioles further down the line.
Whatever ends up happening, Leonsis seems keen on somehow getting one or both of the baseball teams’ games on his sports network in the future, which could give it compelling summer programming. Orioles and Nationals games currently appear on Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. The Orioles and Nationals are currently engaged in a lawsuit that’s spanned years over how to split money from the channel.
Headline photo: Ian Oland/RMNB
