Minnesota Twins fans have long dreamed of owning a piece of their beloved team, much like Green Bay Packers fans do with their football team. However, it seems that this dream may not become a reality anytime soon. The Twins organization is not up for sale, but even if it were, there are major obstacles in the way of local fans taking control.
Back in 2006, when the legislation was created to build Target Field with public funds, a provision was included that would allow a local group to buy the team. This group would need to have a managing owner with a 25% stake and at least 50% of the shares would have to be sold to the general public. However, a recent rule change by Major League Baseball in 2017 now prohibits publicly traded entities from owning a controlling interest in a team, effectively nullifying this plan.
The conflict between the local legislation and MLB rules was only recently discovered when the league was reviewing a possible lease extension for the team. The Twins’ lease isn’t set to expire for another 15 years, but the team agreed to extend it until at least 2059 in exchange for annual taxpayer funds to maintain the stadium.
Hennepin County leaders had included this funding in a proposal to the Legislature to keep a sales tax in place after the stadium debt is paid off. This tax raises about $54 million a year, with a portion of the funds going towards health care infrastructure improvements. However, state lawmakers were unable to reach an agreement on the proposal this year, leaving county officials to consider making a new request in 2025.
With the bonds for Target Field construction nearing repayment and the tax set to expire once the debt is cleared, time is running out for a resolution. The future ownership of the Minnesota Twins remains uncertain, but fans can continue to support their team in other ways as they hope for a chance to have a stake in its future.
