Get a free account to post and vote Log in
News Blogs About
What's New:
We're on Facebook now! Check out the new "Essential Chicago" group, where Chicagoans share hidden gems of the city: http://bit.ly/daBCFG
Share this on Twitter: Tweet this story   Ask for votes!
Short link: http://windycitizen.com/wdBV
3 comments ↓ Got something to add? Post your comment below:

Comments

These Ricketts continue to impress:

In January, Zell settled on the Ricketts family, whose fortune stems from the TD Ameritrade brokerage, as the favored bidder. Sources said the price then was about $900 million.

Exhaustive talks followed, with Zell trying another detour: pressuring Ricketts to raise his price by inviting a previous bidder, New York investor Marc Utay, back to the table.

But insiders said the Ricketts family held firm and continued to negotiate hard on certain terms -- including how Tribune Co. evaluated the Cubs' broadcasting rights with its corporate cousins at WGN TV and radio and Comcast SportsNet Chicago. Tribune's 25 percent stake in Comcast SportsNet Chicago is part of the sale to Ricketts.

"You can look at this deal and say the Ricketts family got a lot of concessions," said one source close to its bid.

There can't be too many people out there who've outfoxed Sam Zell on major deals like this.

qstrian 28 weeks 4 days ago
+
1
Clout

Market timing is critical as Mr. Zell knows well. He's had his business ups & downs. Those who know him well count on Mr. Zell bouncing back from today's 20/20 hindsight headlines.

adelle77 28 weeks 3 days ago
+
1
Clout

Meanwhile, the Tribune is giving as good as it gets in its coverage of the Sun-Times disastrous financial straits:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sat-sun-times-0822aug22,0,251...

Vote it up here: http://www.windycitizen.com/adelle77/media/2009/08/24/sun-times-media-gr...

Post new comment

Required but never displayed publicly.
Connect, or join Windy Citizen to earns points from Chicagoans for posting good comments.
By craignewman
28 weeks ago
  • 27 following
  • 20followers
  • 695 clout

Chicagoans who voted this up

  • TheCitizen
  • BradFlora
  • alohagirl
  • adelle77
  • onedrunkenpoet
  • green parent
  • HydeParkAdmiral
  • The Commish
  • John Kristoff
  • craignewman
  • qstrian
  • Donaldson
  • Max
  • LAZ
  • kristenthometz
  • Nelson
  • MTal1960

More from craignewman


© Windy Citizen About Blog Tools Content Policy Terms of Service Privacy Contact Us RSS/Subscribe Advertise

This service is supported in part by a Community News Matters grant from The Chicago Community Trust and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.