'George Steinbrenner Was An Overrated Owner': Minor League Baseball Owner Gary Green Talks Yankees & Warren Buffett
(CBS Local)-- Gary Green has been a baseball fan all his life and recently started to influence the game in several different ways.
The CEO of Alliance Sports is the owner of two minor league franchises (Omaha Storm Chasers/Richmond Flying Squirrels) and his group purchased Baseball America a few years ago. The New York resident and NYU Stern School of Business graduate purchased his second minor league baseball franchise from none other than Warren Buffett.
"One of the perks of being interested in the Storm Chasers is that you got to meet with Warren Buffett," said Green in an interview with CBS Local. "I thought I was interested, but any time someone tells you can meet with Warren Buffett...people pay $3 million for that meeting. It was so special to meet with him. I was all ready to negotiate with the great Warren Buffet and it turns out all he wanted to do was make sure I'm a baseball fan."
Green shared stories with Buffet about going to Shea Stadium with his father when he was a kid. With attendance numbers dropping around the league, Green says this is a critical time for baseball to adapt to the times.
"We have to shorten the games a little bit," said Green. "The people at the games don't mind the long games, it's the people watching on TV. The content has become a lot of the business. The game has become home runs, strikeouts, and hit by pitches. We need to create excitement."
Competitive balance is another reason that Green thinks attendance is down. As an owner himself, Green keeps an eye on the management styles of groups around the MLB and leaders of the past. The CEO of Alliance Sports is not a fan of what is going on with Derek Jeter in Miami and doesn't think George Steinbrenner is someone that should be celebrated either.
"I think the new ownership has done a horrible job," said Green. "This may make not make me popular, but I think George Steinbrenner was an overrated owner. I think the only reason they won all those World Series' in the 90s with the Core Four was that he got suspended for the Howard Spira thing and he couldn't touch the payroll...George would've traded the young players for vets and I don't think the Core Four happens."
