# Wattles plans bid for Trail Blazers



## JasonOPS (Mar 15, 2006)

Big story on ownership coming tomorrow from the Oregonion. Hollywood Entertainment founder Mark Wattles claims to be able to purchase the Blazers without investors. Best part is, he is from Oregon unlike our current owner. All the info is posted here by Helen Jung:

http://www.oregonlive.com/newslogs/...e_oregonian_news/archives/2006_05.html#142944


----------



## wastro (Dec 19, 2004)

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: 

:gopray: :gopray: :gopray: :gopray: :gopray: :gopray: :gopray:


----------



## Samuel (Jan 1, 2003)

Makes sense considering his buy low, sell high mentality.

I bet this will increase the 'moving to Las Vegas' catcalls, however. He lives there.


----------



## maxiep (May 7, 2003)

I don't buy it. I don't think he has the scratch to put a deal together. The bottom line is there is one or two people that have local connections that can buy the Blazers and we know Phil Knight has no interest.

It's going to be an out of towner.


----------



## ABM (Dec 30, 2002)

maxiep said:


> It's going to be an out of towner.


Me thinks it's all an exercise in futility. Paul ain't sellin'.


----------



## VancouverBall (Apr 29, 2006)

Three years ago he said he's not interested in owning a sports franchise. What changed his mind?


----------



## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

VancouverBall said:


> Three years ago he said he's not interested in owning a sports franchise. What changed his mind?


He heard the team was moving to Vancouver.

barfo


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

VancouverBall said:


> Three years ago he said he's not interested in owning a sports franchise. What changed his mind?


5 years ago the NBA wasn't interested in Vancouver having a team. What changed their mind?


----------



## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

SMiLE said:


> 5 years ago the NBA wasn't interested in Vancouver having a team. What changed their mind?


 Ouch.


----------



## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

It's Blaze, the TrailTurkey!

barfo


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

barfo said:


> It's Blaze, the TrailTurkey!
> 
> barfo


here's the new ID that the Vancouver Trail Blazers will have to have with them whenever they go out and drive.


----------



## wastro (Dec 19, 2004)

More from the Playbooks and Profits blog:



> So, just who is Mark Wattles and why does he want to buy the Trail Blazers?(Full story in Saturday's Oregonian).
> 
> You know the quick description -- he's the guy who founded Hollywood Video and transformed it from a one-store operation into a massive 2,000-plus movie-rental chain.
> 
> ...


Linky


----------



## wastro (Dec 19, 2004)

And now ... the official story over at OregonLive.com


----------



## SheedSoNasty (Dec 31, 2002)

Hey, as long as he keeps the team here, adds some excitement and connects with the fans, I'm all for it.


----------



## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

Next up: Tanya Harding to buy Blazers. Investment backed by the Foundation for the Desperately Attention Needy.

barfo


----------



## Utherhimo (Feb 20, 2005)

the sega continues yet nothing happens


----------



## mgb (Jun 26, 2004)

VancouverBall said:


> Three years ago he said he's not interested in owning a sports franchise. What changed his mind?


From what I read he wasn't interested in buying a baseball team, not a NBA team.


----------



## ColoradoBlazerFan (Feb 16, 2006)

barfo said:


> Next up: Tanya Harding to buy Blazers. Investment backed by the Foundation for the Desperately Attention Needy.
> 
> barfo


 :biggrin: Hey, maybe Jason Terry learned that groin punch move from Tanya..

Peace


----------



## BBert (Dec 30, 2004)

ABM said:


> Me thinks it's all an exercise in futility. Paul ain't sellin'.


 :naughty: :thand: :nonono: :gopray:


----------



## Stepping Razor (Apr 24, 2004)

Unfortunately I just don't see how this guy has enough money to make this happen, unless The O is underreporting his wealth by a factor of 10.

Stepping Razor


----------



## BBert (Dec 30, 2004)

Stepping Razor said:


> Unfortunately I just don't see how this guy has enough money to make this happen, unless The O is underreporting his wealth by a factor of 10.
> 
> Stepping Razor





> And he's shown himself to be someone who thinks big -- with a mixed record of success.
> 
> For instance, he sought to take Hollywood private in 2004, and teamed with a private-equity firm to buy back the company from shareholders. The financing, however, fell through.
> 
> After he resigned from Hollywood, he bought about 1 million shares of Blockbuster stock -- considering trying to take that company private. That too didn't pan out.


There ya go. Ownership that can't afford the freight is the worst case scenario (IMO). 

I'm hoping Paul will just buy the damn arena (soon), keep the team and get my Blazers back to where they belong at the top of the NBA.


----------



## Stepping Razor (Apr 24, 2004)

Blazer Bert said:


> There ya go. Ownership that can't afford the freight is the worst case scenario (IMO).
> 
> I'm hoping Paul will just buy the damn arena (soon), keep the team and get my Blazers back to where they belong at the top of the NBA.


Yup.


----------



## myELFboy (Jun 28, 2005)

David Locke was talking about this last week on KJR; said to look out in the next couple of days for Wattles to show interest, & he was correct...gotta love the inside information. Will be interesting to see what happens...


----------



## wastro (Dec 19, 2004)

How can Paul buy back the arena, anyway? Aren't him and the arent management at competely opposite ends of the spectrum? And doesn't PAM hold all the cards right now?


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

wastro said:


> How can Paul buy back the arena, anyway? Aren't him and the arent management at competely opposite ends of the spectrum? And doesn't PAM hold all the cards right now?


he could buy back the arena because he's worth 20+ billion and if need be he could write a check for 190 million and barely notice it's missing. Pam thinks they hold more cards than Paul, and Paul thinks he holds more cards.

Both have solid arguments to their side, and both have silly arguments on their side.

It seems to be a staring match now, to see who flinches first and settles the debate.


----------



## It's_GO_Time (Oct 13, 2005)

Blazer Bert said:


> There ya go. Ownership that can't afford the freight is the worst case scenario (IMO).
> 
> I'm hoping Paul will just buy the damn arena (soon), keep the team and get my Blazers back to where they belong at the top of the NBA.



I too am hoping this is all a big negotiation tactic by PA to buy the RG. But if it is not, so far Wattles sounds like the best option to me. First, he isn't talkng about putting together an investment group, he is talking about doing all this himself . . . that is different than the other groups we have heard from. Second, although he doesn't have PA's cash, he sounds like a shrewed business man. Going from a one video rental store in the SE to Holloywood Video (second largest video rental chain) is impressive even in PA's book.

He is local, wealthy, has shown business success, shown commitment to Portland and doesn't need help from others. Sounds like a good plan B to me.


----------



## tlong (Jan 6, 2003)

Wattles is *not * someone I would want to own the Blazers.


----------



## mediocre man (Feb 24, 2004)

tlong said:


> Wattles is *not * someone I would want to own the Blazers.



Is he too short as well? I wouldn't have thought you would care about the height of an owner.


----------



## tlong (Jan 6, 2003)

mediocre man said:


> Is he too short as well? I wouldn't have thought you would care about the height of an owner.


In my opinion his ethics are questionable.


----------



## Blazer Maven (Sep 27, 2005)

tlong said:


> In my opinion his ethics are questionable.


Are you a resident of West Linn? The folks down by Peach Cove know all about Wattles' ethics. The guy defied Oregon law by building a rock wall adjacent to his mansion on the river to keep boaters from accessing his "private" beach.


----------



## Kmurph (May 7, 2003)

and this makes him a bad potential owner?

Rocks?

grow up people....


BY all means...if you have something more substantial I'd love to read it...


----------



## mediocre man (Feb 24, 2004)

I would imagine that most successful businessmen have pushed the envelope of ethics and morals to the brink. I mean look at Paul Allen. He seems like a nice normal guy that hasn't really done anything too wrong and he is a horrible businessman. Then there are guys like Al Davis, The Boss, Jerry Jones. These guys are self made guys.


----------



## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

mediocre man said:


> I would imagine that most successful businessmen have pushed the envelope of ethics and morals to the brink. I mean look at Paul Allen. He seems like a nice normal guy that hasn't really done anything too wrong and he is a horrible businessman. Then there are guys like Al Davis, The Boss, Jerry Jones. These guys are self made guys.


What's the definition of successful? What's the definition of self-made? 
I'm curious to see how either of those could exclude Paul Allen.

barfo


----------



## It's_GO_Time (Oct 13, 2005)

I don't know PA business practices enough to know what kind of business man he is. But at the very least he is partners with Bill Gates, and Gates is notorious as being shrewd to the point of many considering him unethical. I know a few people who have had personal dealing with him and describe him as the biggest egocentric ******* they have ever done business with including threats to wipe out their business. Then there is that whole anti-trust law that he knowingly and admittedly violated.

If anything it is guilt by association for PA, but it is more likely PA being just as guilty of business behavior that boarders unethical.

My only point to all this is I don't think prior business ehtics should be a big factor when decideing who will be a good owner.


----------



## mediocre man (Feb 24, 2004)

barfo said:


> What's the definition of successful? What's the definition of self-made?
> I'm curious to see how either of those could exclude Paul Allen.
> 
> barfo


Well, PA and his many businesses have lost 100's of millions of dollars. How could he be considered a good businessman. He wasn't self made because all he really did was invest money. Bill Gates is self made though, Phil Knight is as well. 

My uncle is a millionaire because he had a lot of stock in UPS before they went public. I certainly would not consider him self made, or a shrewd businessman. He bought his stock options. Nothing more nothing less.


----------



## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

mediocre man said:


> Well, PA and his many businesses have lost 100's of millions of dollars. How could he be considered a good businessman. He wasn't self made because all he really did was invest money. Bill Gates is self made though, Phil Knight is as well.


bill gates and paul allen made their money the same way..so how is one self made and the other not?

phil made a shoe. thats no different than making a computer.


----------



## ProudBFan (Apr 29, 2003)

SMiLE said:


> phil made a shoe. thats no different than making a computer.


Sure it is. For one thing, shoes don't erupt in a shower of sparks if you plug them in wrong.

Um... okay... maybe they do.

PBF


----------



## SodaPopinski (Aug 10, 2004)

SMiLE said:


> phil made a shoe. thats no different than making a computer.


Nah - that's too easy...

-Pop


----------



## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

Kmurph said:


> and this makes him a bad potential owner?
> 
> Rocks?
> 
> ...


Building codes, zoning laws, environmental regulations..........they don't apply to rich people!  

The guy decided he was above the rules. That was arrogant and stupid. If it was an isolated incident, that's one thing. If this is part of a pattern - yes it's a problem!


----------



## NBAGOD (Aug 26, 2004)

> bill gates and paul allen made their money the same way..so how is one self made and the other not?


Bill made the licensing deal with IBM that made them the billions....Paul went along for the ride.


----------

