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Skip to main content * Home * Sports * Packers * Brewers * Bucks * Badgers * Golden Eagles * Panthers * Preps Plus * Outdoors * Sports Awards * Buy Tickets * Motor Sports Some Bucks minority owners view Haslam purchase as ‘positive development’ for franchise SOME BUCKS MINORITY OWNERS VIEW HASLAM PURCHASE AS ‘POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT’ FOR FRANCHISE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ricardo Torres Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Milwaukee-area businessman and minority owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, Cory Nettles, called the addition of Dee and Jimmy Haslam to the ownership group an “extremely positive development in the history of this franchise.” “We have a business that’s working very well. We have a culture that’s very strong and people should expect to see more of the same,” Nettles said. “Every franchise needs to say ‘How can we get better?’ And I’m sure the Haslams have some ideas about how we can get better, as do the current owners ... but people should assume it’s going to be business as usual or better.” On April 14, a deal was approved by the NBA Board of Governors for the Haslam Sports Group to buy out Marc Lasry’s ownership share for roughly $800 million at a $3.2 billion valuation, making them a major owner in the Bucks overall. More: Marc Lasry reflects on his time as Bucks co-owner: 'A phenomenal experience.' HASLAMS OWN CLEVELAND BROWNS AND COLUMBUS CREW With the Haslams coming on board, some Bucks fans are wondering what kind, if any, impact the new owners will have. In 2018, the Haslams took over the MLS franchise the Columbus Crew and helped facilitate a plan to build a new stadium that opened in 2021. In between the purchase of the soccer team and the opening of the new stadium, the Crew won the MLS Cup in 2020. The Haslam's ownership of the NFL's Cleveland Browns has not been as successful as the Crew. The group has owned the Browns since 2012 and have made the playoffs only once in 2020. Last year the Browns signed quarterback Deshawn Watson, who had dozens of sexual misconduct allegations against him when he played for the Houston Texans. It was a controversial decision by the franchise and one Haslam said he does not regret. Nettles is not worried about any similar controversies coming to the Bucks. “Every organization has a culture and that culture gets created over time … no one individual creates the culture of the organization,” Nettles said. “As significant an interest as the Haslams are buying, they’re still a minority owner at the end of the day. They don’t have the controlling interest of the team, in terms of their ownership. So I don’t have any reason to believe that they would negatively impact the culture of the organization.” Nettles said he met Jimmy Haslam and his son prior to the sale being announced. Nettles added that a mutual friend of the Haslams reached out to him with “glowing praise of the Haslam family based upon his personal and professional experience with them.” “From everything I’ve seen and heard, I’m really excited to have them join,” Nettles said. “I think it says a lot about the value that has been created in this franchise over a relatively short period of time.” POLITICS AND CONTROL OF THE BUCKS The Bucks, particularly Lasry and owner Wes Edens, have not been shy about their support for Democratic candidates from the White House down to the local level. Even Lasry’s son Alex ran to be Wisconsin’s U.S. senator on the Democratic ticket but lost in the primary last year. The Haslams have been major Republican donors for candidates for president and other public offices. Jimmy Haslam’s brother, Bill, served as Republican governor of Tennessee. And while this might seem like a major shift in political support from Bucks owners, Nettles said the Haslams' political support “doesn’t concern me.” “I have friends in this ownership group and our political views run the entire spectrum,” Nettles said. “There are people in the ownership group, in the local ownership group in particular, who supported (Republican Senator) Ron Johnson. Who served on Ron Johnson’s finance committee.” “Whomever the Haslams individually or the family support, that’s their business, that’s their prerogative, that’s their right and I respect that. We have a range of political views in our current ownership group. Certainly there have been some very prominent Democratic supporters, also some very prominent Republican support.” WILL OTHER MINORITY OWNER FOLLOW LASRY AND SELL THEIR SHARES? Gale Klappa, Bucks minority owner and CEO of WEC Energy Group, said he had two conversations with Jimmy Haslam when he was considering buying the Bucks. When asked about the Haslam's record with the Browns and Crew, Klappa said he is "comfortable with and confident in the ownership structure and management of the Bucks franchise. I have no current plans to sell my interest in the team." While Lasry is the only Bucks owner deciding to sell his share of the franchise, Nettles said fans shouldn’t be surprised if other Bucks owners make a similar choice. “In light of the transaction that just happened, I’m sure that there are other owners who are evaluating whether they keep all their interest or they sell part of their interest,” Nettles said. “This is a business decision for all of our families. So, I don’t know. Certainly, it’s possible that there might be other transactions with the Haslams or other buyers. I just don’t know. “When you have a transaction where this much value has been created and people are making these investment decisions, you can’t be surprised when others decide to take some chips off the table.” In terms of changing control of the Bucks, Nettles said, the owners are “not having that conversation.” “The owners are very pleased with the transaction that occurred, pleased with the value that’s been created and excited to be owning a team that is, again, a championship contender,” Nettles said. “This is an exciting time to be an owner in the NBA generally, but particularly of the championship Milwaukee Bucks. I think we have to expect that there’s going to be more transactions. Who knows who and when that will be. I honestly have no idea.” Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. 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