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Alabama banker interested in Rays
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -- Birmingham businessman Donald Watkins didn't wait for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to put up a "for sale" sign. The lawyer-turned-entreprenuer phoned the major league baseball team's general counsel, John Higgins, then faxed a letter expressing an interest in purchasing the team. His interest was sparked by a newspaper article last Friday. "My biggest challenge now is to get a crack in the ownership door," Watkins said. "I'm ready to begin my due diligence." Watkins runs Alamerica Bank, a commercial bank based in Birmingham, and operates a privately held energy company called Watkins Pencor. He said he would not need help funding a purchase of the team and wanted sole ownership. Team spokesman Rick Vaughn said Wednesday the Devil Rays would have no comment on Watkins' interest. Forbes magazine recently estimated the value of the club to be about $150 million. Watkins, who is black, would be major league baseball's first minority owner. "That is not what drives me," he told The Associated Press. "That is a beneficial incidental factor. I think it would be nice to have some diversity in ownership circles. It's not a social experiment, not for that kind of money." The Devil Rays last week said they have discussed retaining an investment banker to advise the club about its alternatives, "including the possible sale of the club." Managing general partner Vince Naimoli announced last week he would hire a chief operating officer to take over the team's day-to-day affairs. Naimoli said the team is not having financial problems. Manager Larry Rothschild has already lost his job this season, replaced by Hal McRae after a slow start and three straight last-place finishes in the AL East. Watkins said he wants to either own the team outright or give his son a part of the franchise. "I wouldn't be interested in joining an existing group of investors," he said. He said he has studied sports finance to prepare for ownership of a major league baseball or NFL franchise and believes he can "create a winner on the field and in the business office. That's what I would like to do." Watkins said he wouldn't move the team. "I'm in it for the long haul," he said. "It's not a quick, in and out opportunity to me. I want to keep it in Tampa."
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