Why is Jerry one of the worst owners in the NBA

[patryk7754]

Hey all,

I am working on something and I am looking for examples on why Jerry is a terrible owner. Bonus points if you have examples for other owners as well.

Thanks


Edit: I guess i should clarify- I’m working on something that would compare owners in all sports and what makes them bad. Jerry is overall viewed as a terrible owner and I’m looking for examples why. If you think it’s a stupid question don’t bother commenting

[Michael Jackson]

Jerry is not the worst. He is below average though for sure. Some of his attributes are over exaggerated without a doubt. That being said:

With both the Bulls and Sox he was too hands off and let the GM's run their ego and ruin teams. He needed to mitigate that stuff. He also needed to not be soooooooo loyal.

Cheap Cheap Cheap is what you are going to hear but if you actually look at it that is not the problem. His inaction was a bigger problem. Albert Belle and MJ were record setting contracts. Giving Pippen money and helping him out of debt after he trashed Jerry for a decade is another.

Letting Krause and William's ego's run the show though... Oh my bad bad choices.

[Michael Jackson]

McCaskey, Bill Wirtz, Sam Zell were way worse owners. Not that is a high bar.

Rocky sorta lucked into a position where the tides suddenly changed. Ricketts forced a changed after buying from Sam and they were amazingly sweet to a good friend of mine who died so I can never talk trash about them. Rocky thought changed not only the Hawks but also Union Beverage. He was a great owner (aside of course the scandal that I can't excuse) yet he was great to work for. I will say Rocky was the only "great" owner after Halas but that was prior to my grey beard time on this earth really.

[Michael Jackson]

On top of that Lamar Hunt was the majority share owner of the Bulls when Jerry bought them. Steinbrenner also was a share holder too. The Hunt's obviously have done well with the chiefs and his son runs it very well. Lamar gave it to Jerry though to be CEO and buy luck we had a dynasty in the 90's. It is luck for not all but a good portion. If just money won... Dolan would have way more rings than the Lakers as the Buss family is cheap and well NY is a pretty big market. Most hate Jeanie for being cheap.

[meekrab]

It's not that they Rein$dorfs are cheap, but all of their money is locked up in the Bulls and Sox. The "good owners" are the ones with actual **** You Money who run a sports team as a hobby.

[ChettheJet]

It must be depressing being the fan in every city with any professional sports team who thinks the owner is the worst in that league and is the reason the team loses or doesn't win championships, or charges too much for tickets or has high concession prices or long lines at the bathrooms or there are too many commercials on TV. Go to some local art fairs and bellyache about the paintings.

[League Circles]

Hey all,

I am working on something and I am looking for examples on why Jerry is a terrible owner. Bonus points if you have examples for other owners as well.

Thanks

If you need to ask, maybe you shouldn't conclude the premise.

[Brothaman33]

I think he's much worse with the White Sox. There's a cap in the NBA and Jerry lets his GM do what he feels is best.

My issues with Jerry regarding the Bulls is pretty limited. I have much more issue with the decisions from the GM's that he hires.

[SfBull]

Jerry is not the worst. He is below average though for sure. Some of his attributes are over exaggerated without a doubt. That being said:

With both the Bulls and Sox he was too hands off and let the GM's run their ego and ruin teams. He needed to mitigate that stuff. He also needed to not be soooooooo loyal.

Cheap Cheap Cheap is what you are going to hear but if you actually look at it that is not the problem. His inaction was a bigger problem. Albert Belle and MJ were record setting contracts. Giving Pippen money and helping him out of debt after he trashed Jerry for a decade is another.

Letting Krause and William's ego's run the show though... Oh my bad bad choices.

Blowing the 97-98 Bulls( Last Dance) when players wanted a chance for winning 4 wings in a row.What is worst than that?
25 years later and we'd didn't recover from his bad move.

[patryk7754]

Hey all,

I am working on something and I am looking for examples on why Jerry is a terrible owner. Bonus points if you have examples for other owners as well.

Thanks

If you need to ask, maybe you shouldn't conclude the premise.

Thanks for the great input. It’s not like I already had some things in mind and just made the thread for some outside thoughts or examples I may have been forgetting about.


Why waste everyone’s time with such a useless comment?

[patryk7754]

I think he's much worse with the White Sox. There's a cap in the NBA and Jerry lets his GM do what he feels is best.

My issues with Jerry regarding the Bulls is pretty limited. I have much more issue with the decisions from the GM's that he hires.

Don’t follow baseball that closely. What are some things he does with the Sox that makes you think that?

[patryk7754]

It must be depressing being the fan in every city with any professional sports team who thinks the owner is the worst in that league and is the reason the team loses or doesn't win championships, or charges too much for tickets or has high concession prices or long lines at the bathrooms or there are too many commercials on TV. Go to some local art fairs and bellyache about the paintings.

It must be depressing to be on a fan board and comment in a thread and add nothing to it. Go bellyache in another post

[JimmyButler21]

Reinsdorf once said he'd trade all 6 NBA Championships for 1 White Sox World Series. He runs the Bulls like a small market team in one of the largest markets in the country.

[Michael Jackson]

Jerry is not the worst. He is below average though for sure. Some of his attributes are over exaggerated without a doubt. That being said:

With both the Bulls and Sox he was too hands off and let the GM's run their ego and ruin teams. He needed to mitigate that stuff. He also needed to not be soooooooo loyal.

Cheap Cheap Cheap is what you are going to hear but if you actually look at it that is not the problem. His inaction was a bigger problem. Albert Belle and MJ were record setting contracts. Giving Pippen money and helping him out of debt after he trashed Jerry for a decade is another.

Letting Krause and William's ego's run the show though... Oh my bad bad choices.

Blowing the 97-98 Bulls( Last Dance) when players wanted a chance for winning 4 wings in a row.What is worst than that?
25 years later and we'd didn't recover from his bad move.

That is the biggest fail ever, and the truth is, they were never coming back for that run. It would have organically ended regardless. Reinsdorf stupidly let Krause publicly let him tell the whole world it was his idea and this was the end. Let him run his mouth and parade his whole organizations win nonsense. He needed to step in and shut him up 2 years prior. Nope JR is too loyal though. Simply his dumbest financial move without a doubt. Even if they came back which would have been unlikely as Pippen was done and wanted out, and Phil was done too, they likely woukd have just dissolved during the lockout. Optics wise they could have had their cake and ate it, getting the reboot Krause was desperate but actually getting empathy in the court of public opinion. Jordan was going to be out, Pippen wants a trade and Phil is gone, what could we do but rebuild?

But Noooooooooooooo! Let Krause open his mouth and let him show the world his hubris. If JR shuts Krause mouth public perception is different and Krause’s Heatles type plan may actually work and they potentially get Duncan, TMac and Hill (well as long as they agree that Tim Duncan’s wife can fly with the team, stupid Orlando) and then yup maybe he has that next dynasty. Duncan, Hill, TMac Artest and Brand not a bad thing to have. By Jerry not stepping and shutting Krause up ruined this franchise, absolutely ruined it.

JR has zero concern for optics and that has always been his biggest downfall. Not just with the Bulls also with his beloved White Sox. Back to doing Fisk dirty. Ozzie and Kenny. Pouting after coming out of the baseball lockout and signing Albert Belle to the highest contract in baseball ever at that point, to prove a point. Bad optics everywhere.

It isn’t his cheapness it is he is simply unlikable and doesn’t care. He also loves to hire really unlikable twats (ahem Gar Forman and well past prime Larussa) to be his mouth pieces? C’mon.

Next owners are likely going to be some Private Equity firm (really currently is and has been since Jerry bought them) or UAE or Saudi type sportswashing group. With them maybe they can actually hire a good front office though. I think Michael tried he just chose poorly, or hired the wrong firm to do the search.

Oddly the optics got slightly better but at the cost of just complete destruction of any future hope. At best the Bulls have 5 years at the least to have any optimistic outlook for the future.

[Michael Jackson]

I think he's much worse with the White Sox. There's a cap in the NBA and Jerry lets his GM do what he feels is best.

My issues with Jerry regarding the Bulls is pretty limited. I have much more issue with the decisions from the GM's that he hires.

Don’t follow baseball that closely. What are some things he does with the Sox that makes you think that?

Omg there is a long list. What I think he is referring to primarily though is there is no cap, with the Bulls there is and not paying tax is more ballyhooed than it should be. He hires bad decision makers on how to use the cap ( and really every team is up against it, notice Cuban got cheap quickly after winning one ring) but in the MLB you can literally outspend if you want. He does for like half a season but then quickly blows it up. 05 was lightning in a bottle, The Sox draw is bad because of how he runs that team, there was a time when the Sox outdrew the cubs in popularity, but that was the 60’s. Granted Wrigleyville wasn’t a thing then and that is what helps the cubs draw as does the stadium because visitors want to go to it.

[gardenofsound]

He has been way worse with the White Sox, but the common thread remains with both teams: his loyalty to dysfunctional or ineffective executives.

[gardenofsound]

I think he's much worse with the White Sox. There's a cap in the NBA and Jerry lets his GM do what he feels is best.

My issues with Jerry regarding the Bulls is pretty limited. I have much more issue with the decisions from the GM's that he hires.

Don’t follow baseball that closely. What are some things he does with the Sox that makes you think that?

Omg there is a long list. What I think he is referring to primarily though is there is no cap, with the Bulls there is and not paying tax is more ballyhooed than it should be. He hires bad decision makers on how to use the cap ( and really every team is up against it, notice Cuban got cheap quickly after winning one ring) but in the MLB you can literally outspend if you want. He does for like half a season but then quickly blows it up. 05 was lightning in a bottle, The Sox draw is bad because of how he runs that team, there was a time when the Sox outdrew the cubs in popularity, but that was the 60’s. Granted Wrigleyville wasn’t a thing then and that is what helps the cubs draw as does the stadium because visitors want to go to it.

Agree with everything here, but Reinsdorf made it all so much worse.

Reinsdorf completely tanked the Sox market share due to the following reasons:

• SportsVision (whereas the Cubs went on national network TV with WGN)
• Everything to do with and leading up to the construction of the now Guaranteed Rate field. Google "Armour Field" to see what might have been for the Sox.
• His role in the leadup to the 1994 strike which killed all momentum that iteration of the Sox had moving forward. They were legit contenders.

[League Circles]

Hey all,

I am working on something and I am looking for examples on why Jerry is a terrible owner. Bonus points if you have examples for other owners as well.

Thanks

If you need to ask, maybe you shouldn't conclude the premise.

Thanks for the great input. It’s not like I already had some things in mind and just made the thread for some outside thoughts or examples I may have been forgetting about.


Why waste everyone’s time with such a useless comment?

You basically made a thread with a conclusion without evidence and asked others to make your case for you. I disagree with the conclusion.

I mean he's wildly ahead of average pace for winning titles. Not sure on win%. Those are two good places to start IMO.

[dougthonus]

I think fans of almost all teams hate their owners, and there isn't really that much reason to hate Reinsdorf vs most other owners.

Some things in the past that were a bit questionable:
Allegedly advised someone: "Finish in second place every single year because your fans will say 'Wow, we got a shot. We're in it! ' But there's always the carrot left." (source was questionable though)

He used to get oddly super involved in head coach hires for the Bulls

He's allowed massive dysfunction to exist under both Krause and GarPax for massive amounts of time

He's been overly loyal to front offices even when results are poor

You can argue he's really cheap, and definitely has that reputation, but I personally think the impact is less and the cheapness is overblown based on the circumstances at the time. It's a concern it would still be there in critical moments, but I don't think that's really been fairly tested.

[NZB2323]

Is he really that bad? He was loyal to Krause who built the 90s Bulls, and he asked Phil Jackson to come back after 98. It would be weird if he fired the GM who put together the 72 win Bulls. He did win 6 championships and if Rose didn’t get injured he may have more.

No owner is perfect, and hindsight is 20/20.

Let’s compare him to other “worst” owners:

Donald Sterling:

-Owned the Clippers for 33 years and never made a conference finals.
-Didn’t have a winning record until his 11th year.
-Lost 50 or more games 22 seasons.
-an investigation found he was late in paying his players and creditors.
-extremely cheap.
-heckled players from his own team.
-Made racist comments.

James Dolan:
-went 12 years without making the playoffs
-banned Charles Oakley and other fans from games.

Glen Taylor:

-Owned the Timberwolves since 1994, has only won 2 playoff series.
-Went back on his word of letting KG be a part owner.

Jordan:
-Owned the Hornets since 2010, only made the playoffs 3 times and never won a playoff series