Ishbias Reportedly Adding 'Minnesota Twins' To Holiday Wish-List
Twins fans could anticipate an injection of much-needed capital if the deal goes through
Mat Ishbia, CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, and his brother, Justin Ishbia, founder and managing partner of private equity firm, Shore Capital Partners, are reportedly interested in buying the Minnesota Twins from the Pohlad family, who purchased the team in 1984 for $44 million.
This could be great news for Twins fans, who suffered the humiliation of a three-month television blackout and payroll cuts across the clubhouse in 2024.
The Ishbia brothers have been on this kind of shopping spree before, purchasing the NBA’s Phoenix Suns in 2022 and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury in 2023. The pair have a combined estimated net worth exceeding $15 billion.
Just days after purchasing the Suns in 2022, they traded for superstar Kevin Durant and signed him to a four-year, $194 million contract. In 2023, the Ishbias announced plans to build a $100 million, 58,000 square foot headquarters and practice facility for the Suns and the Mercury.
While still unknown whether the Ishbia brothers will extend their track record of lavish sports spending to the MLB, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports that “[Friends] of the Ishbia family described them as "go big or go home,” suggesting good odds for a future roster.
The Twins are valued at roughly $1.5-$1.7 billion, and Justin Ishbia would reportedly be the controlling owner, according to Sports Illustrated. The sale process could take up to six months to complete, meaning new ownership won’t be in place until after the 2025 season begins.