By Shelley Kofler, KERA News
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Dallas, TX – A federal courtroom in Fort Worth is still packed for the auction of the Texas Rangers baseball club, and the bankruptcy judge presiding says the proceeding could last well into the night. How will the outcome affect the team's image? How would the public view a team lead by owner Nolan Ryan as opposed to owner Mark Cuban? KERA's Shelley Kofler talked to sports promotion executive Bill Glenn of the Marketing Arm in Dallas.
Promotions executive Bill Glenn says it's a contrast between the image of a sports traditionalist and a change agent.
As a beloved Rangers player and hall-of fame hero Nolan Ryan is symbolic of the team and the sanctity of the sport.
Glenn: This is a scrappy guy who brought the power to pitching like we never seen it before. He is what baseball fans think about in tradition.
As owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball franchise, Cuban has pushed the envelope. Glenn says he might be the guy who could make baseball more exciting.
Glenn: People don't enjoy games that last three and a half hours in major league baseball and that time over the years continues to go up. Its things like that. Maybe bringing replay into major league baseball. It's the technology-related aspect of the game. They might look at Mark Cuban and say gosh he's done a lot of great things in the NBA. Maybe he can bring change to major league baseball.
Glenn says Cuban with the Mavs and Ryan as President of the Rangers have both created teams that can win.
Personalities aside, Glenn says that's what really matters to fans.