Timberwolves Sale Signals Cash Crunch for Marc Lore, New Era Under Marc Stad

Marc Lore's decision to give up controlling interest in the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx may have come down to one simple factor: he needed the money. New controlling owner Marc Stad, a 47-year-old Harvard graduate and San Francisco-based equity firm head, appears to be bailing out Lore in a deal valuing the franchises at $4.5 billion.

Lore and his partner Alex Rodriguez previously needed a financial lifeline in 2024, when billionaires Michael Bloomberg and Eric Schmidt helped them complete a $1.5 billion purchase from Glen Taylor. An informed source told the Pioneer Press at the time that the pair lacked sufficient cash to buy the teams outright.

Under NBA rules, Lore was required to hold at least a 15 percent stake in the purchase. By selling to Stad, Lore, who served as lead governor for just over a year, may have tripled his initial investment. The sale appears designed to free up cash for his other business interests. Lore will reportedly remain a minority partner, while Stad's wife, Elisa, will replace him as the Timberwolves' governor.

Although on a smaller scale, Lore's transaction bears similarities to the controversial sale of the Los Angeles Lakers, a deal that has drawn scrutiny across the league.

What does this mean for Timberwolves fans in Iowa?

For Iowa basketball fans who follow the Timberwolves, the change in ownership could signal a shift in team direction. Stad, a relative newcomer to the NBA ownership scene, has yet to outline his vision for the franchise. The team's recent success, including a deep playoff run, makes stability a priority. Fans will be watching closely to see if Stad maintains the roster and front-office leadership that have brought renewed energy to the organization.

Vikings legend Matt Birk weighs in on Adrian Peterson's Ring of Honor induction

Six-time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk, a former Viking, says every time Adrian Peterson carried the ball, he was a genuine threat to score. Peterson, who enters the Vikings' Ring of Honor on Nov. 9, was a violent runner, Birk recalled. Birk, now a Super Bowl champion with the Ravens, also noted the injustice of his own absence from the Ring of Honor. He visited teammates during Thursday's Vikings-Ravens scrimmage in Eagan.

Vikings co-owner Zygi Wilf and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz also attended the scrimmage. Walz, who has shed significant weight, said he runs daily and plans to run the New York Marathon on Nov. 1. Asked about life after office, he mentioned a possible college teaching job.

It's not about capitalizing on what you did, it's about giving back what you learned,

Walz told the Pioneer Press.

Iowa connections and local sports notes

Former Gophers basketball star Willie Burton, 68, who played nine NBA seasons and lives in St. Paul, is nearing completion of his Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Minnesota.

Looking forward to a new chapter in my life,

Burton said.

A group of former Gophers players visited coach Clem Haskins at his Kentucky home for his 83rd birthday. St. John's Collegeville has recruited six players from St. Thomas Academy's Class 5A state semifinalists. The big Division III opener features No. 1 North Central against No. 2 Bethel on Sept. 5, with No. 11 St. John's hosting Bethel on Oct. 3.

Ticket prices for the new Minnesota Forge professional women's volleyball team, which begins play at Grand Casino Arena in January, range from $13 to $40. Season ticket deposits have doubled since the franchise was announced. It seems inevitable that Minnesota's two pro women's volleyball teams will eventually merge.

Wild general manager Billy Guerin speaks at a Capital Club breakfast Sept. 16 in St. Paul. Former Viking Adam Thielen and Wild star Matt Boldy, both top golfers, will compete in the CRMC tournament at Cragun's Resort.

Just hoping to make the cut,

said Thielen, a scratch handicapper.

These guys are really good.

Gophers, Timberwolves, and ticket prices

Tickets for the Gophers-St. Thomas men's basketball game on Nov. 6 at Williams Arena range from $62.50 to $163.98. Timberwolves-New York Knicks exhibition tickets at Madison Square Garden start at $177, with top prices reaching $4,900.

Former Cretin-Derham Hall star J'Vonne Hadley has signed a 10-day contract with the Miami Heat. Another CDH alum, Curtis Jones, plays for the Denver Nuggets. Dave Ziebarth and David Schlaefer will be inducted into the St. Thomas Academy Hall of Fame on Oct. 1.

Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Housley, from South St. Paul, is headed to the Los Angeles Kings as associate head coach after two seasons with the Rangers.

New York was a great experience, coaching in Madison Square Garden. But now going coast to coast to L.A., the bottom line is trying to win,

said Housley, 62.

We've got a good team, and I'm excited about it.

Behind the scenes: Gophers eligibility, Vikings tickets, and more

All signs pointed to an extra season of Gophers men's basketball eligibility for Cade Tyson, last year's leading scorer, until a 2-1 federal appeals court ruling Friday. The decision in Denver delayed an expected announcement, but a window for his return remains open. A fifth year also looked promising for former Cretin-Derham Hall guard Tre Holloman, with St. John's coach Rick Pitino reportedly interested.

Vikings tickets for a family of four will average $1,269 this season, down from $1,426. Parking at U.S. Bank Stadium, however, is up $9 to $50. The NFL's most expensive parking is Buffalo's Highmark Stadium at $132.

For Friday's final exhibition game against the Broncos, the Vikings will play as few players as possible who are likely to make the team, focusing on those on the roster bubble. The football Gophers are favored by 45 points in their opener against Eastern Illinois.

The Minnesota State High School League declined to comment on Duluth Marshall basketball star Chloe Johnson's transfer to Proctor. The league reports between 1,900 and 2,000 transfers annually, fewer than 2 percent of participants. Name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals are allowed in Minnesota high school sports, but students cannot be paid for athletic performance or wearing school uniforms.

Iowa ties and Big Ten updates

Beth Goetz, the former Gophers athletics director who earned $850,000 at Iowa, gets a 65 percent pay raise to $1.44 million, the Big Ten average. Goetz, who fired Fran McCaffery and hired Ben McCollum, saw the Hawkeyes reach the NCAA Elite Eight. She became Minnesota's interim AD in 2015 after Norwood Teague's resignation.

St. Paul Saints outfielder Matt Wallner, a Forest Lake grad, could be an attractive candidate for Japan, given his minor league home run prowess. Wallner has 23 homers this season, while Walker Jenkins, 21, has nine. The Saints have used 49 pitchers this season.

Even with a likely MLB lockout on Dec. 2, the Saints will play their regular 150-game schedule. Full-season tickets for 2027 range from $1,000 to $6,000. If a work stoppage occurs, major leaguers already signed will lose that money, a key leverage point for owners.

Each night during training camp, the Vikings have a security guard check players' rooms for curfew. Monday's Twins-Braves game featured a 51-minute rain delay without rain. The Twins have seven games remaining with the first-place White Sox.

Former Twins catcher Tim Laudner coached first base for the Bismarck Larks, where former Twins President Dave St. Peter was honored.

Things have really, really changed -- just about every kid I walked up to and asked where they went to school, they said 'I'm in the (NCAA transfer) portal,'

Laudner said.

Wild owner on Quinn Hughes contract

Wild owner Craig Leipold told the Pioneer Press on Friday regarding star defenseman Quinn Hughes' extension status:

We're just waiting to hear from him.

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