The Kansas City Royals haven’t won the World Series since 1985. The Kansas City Royals haven’t made it to the playoffs since 1985. In 26 seasons with Ewing Kauffman as owner, the Royals made the playoffs 7 times, went to the ALCS six times, made it to the World Series twice, and won the World Series once.In 20 seasons with David Glass as owner, the Royals have made the playoffs zero times and have had only 3 winning seasons.
Before Mr. Kauffman died in 1993, he attempted to bring partners into the Royals ownership group. Kauffman donated the team to the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation with an agreement that the foundation had to sell the team to someone for a fair price with proceeds from the sale going to local charities and that they would have to keep the team in Kansas City.
In 1993, David Glass, the former president and CEO of Wal-Mart, became the interim CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royals. From the very beginning Glass cut the payroll significantly. Glass’s main goal was and always has been business and making money. In 2000 Glass became the sole owner of the Royals, buying the team for $96 million.
Even through the many terrible losing seasons, David Glass kept his word and honored his promise to Mr. Kauffman. The Royals have remained in Kansas City, but that is the only good thing that Mr. Glass has done as the owner of the Royals.
David Glass does not live in Kansas City, he rarely ever talks with the fans, and he almost never talks to the media. David Glass took a winning baseball club and turned them into a perennial loser.
Glass’s time as owner of the Kansas City Royals has come and gone. There are billionaires in Kansas City now and these billionaires are not only interested, but they are willing to spend the money to win.
Cerner is one of the fastest growing companies in the world and located right at home in Kansas City. Cerner owners Cliff Illig and Neal Patterson have interests in sports and have already proven that they can buy a team and spend the money needed to make it successful.
Cliff Illig and Neal Patterson along with the rest of their OnGoal team successfully bought, rebranded, built a new stadium, and created a champion in Major League Soccer. Neal Patterson is one of the biggest donors at Oklahoma State University, where he went to college, and is often seen walking past the supporter’s section at Sporting KC games talking to fans.
In an interview with Sporting KC CEO, Robb Heinemann was asked whether he and the rest of the OnGoal team would be willing to buy the Royals. Heinemann’s response was simple; If David Glass wanted to sell, they would pick up the call.
Sporting KC owners reportedly offered $40 million for one player alone this offseason, they spent $200 million for a brand new stadium, they are willing to spend whatever it takes to win, they live here in KC, and they love sports.
The fact is that Cerner and the rest of the OnGoal team are 100 times better owners than David Glass. Kansas City was once a baseball city and is now the laughing stock of MLB. David Glass’s time as the Royals owner has come and gone and it is time for the Cerner boys to return the Royals back to the glory days.