[外絮] 灰狼第二大股東對球隊售予Lore 及A-Rod 一事向法院提起訴訟

標題：Pending sale of Minnesota Timberwolves has no limitations to moving
franchise to a new city
（待售的明尼蘇達灰狼隊並未限制將特許權轉移到新城市）

來源：https://es.pn/3wyJJWs

作者：Adrian Wojnarowski
輔助：Brian Windhorst

原文＋翻譯：

Meyer Orbach, the second-largest shareholder in the Minnesota Timberwolves,
filed a complaint in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis on Wednesday allegingthat owner Glen Taylor's pending sale of the franchise to Marc Lore and Alex
Rodriguez is in violation of the franchise's partnership agreement, accordingto a copy of the complaint obtained by ESPN.

根據 ESPN 取得的法庭文件顯示，灰狼隊第二大股東 Meyer Orbach 已經在星期三（美國時間）向明尼亞波利斯地方法院提起訴訟，指控原老闆 Glen Taylor 準備將球隊出售給Marc Lore 及 A-Rod 的計劃已經違反了特許夥伴協議。

The complaint cites Taylor's failure to honor the "tag-along rights" for
minority investors in the franchise, which allows them to sell their
interests in the teams before Taylor sells his own.

該訴狀提到， Taylor 並未尊重該特許權協議中，允許少數投資者先行售出本身在球隊中之利益的「跟隨權」。

A vote of the NBA's board of governors is still required to give final
approval of the sale to Lore and Rodriguez.

在售出球隊給 Lore 跟 A-Rod 之前，還需要 NBA 聯盟的最終批准。

The complaint filed by Orbach, a New Jersey real estate mogul who owns more
than 17% of the Timberwolves and WNBA Lynx, also includes a significant
revelation: Despite Taylor's public statements to the contrary, he has
included no provision in the $1.5 billion sales agreement with Lore and
Rodriguez that requires the new ownership group to keep the franchise in
Minnesota upon taking control of the team, according to an exhibit in the
complaint.

根據在 Orbach 入稟的訴狀中，附上的證據所提：

「一位擁有超過百分之十七灰狼隊及 WNBA 山貓隊股權的紐澤西地產大亨，這是主要重點 所在：儘管 Taylor 的聲明與所提的相反，他在與 Lore 及A-Rod 簽署的總值十五億美 元之協議中，完全沒有提及『在轉移所有權後，將特許權留在明尼蘇達』的條款。」

In fact, new details of Taylor's sale agreement with Lore and Rodriguez --
expected to be completed by July 1 -- include a clause under "Governance
Matters" that lists several actions that would require new ownership to
"present to the Advisory Board for discussion" -- including any plan to
"relocate the team outside of the Twin Cities market."

事實上，在預定於07月01日完成之出售協議的細節中，已在「治理事項」中包含了一個條款——「後續擁有權事宜『須提交諮詢委員會進行討論』」的數項條件，包括任何「將球
隊遷離雙城市場」的計劃。

According to an exhibit in the complaint, the agreement between Taylor and
the Lore-Rodriguez group acknowledges that the "Advisory Board is advisory
only ... and no action ... requires the approval, in any form, by the
Advisory Board to be effective."

但根據訴狀中的證據，該協議顯示「諮詢委員會只是單純提供建言……而任何行動……都
無需經過諮詢委員會以任何形式給予的認可才能生效。」

Essentially, there are no contractual limitations to keep Lore and Rodriguez
from moving the Timberwolves and Lynx to a new city.

總的來講，在協議中沒有禁止 Lore 及 A-Rod 將灰狼及山貓搬移到新城市。

The language of the sales agreement between Taylor and prospective owners
Rodriguez and Lore is in contrast to Taylor's numerous public comments that
the sales agreement would include a provision requiring the new group to keepthe Timberwolves in Minnesota. "They will keep the team here, yes," Taylor
told the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune on April 11 about the Lore and Rodriguez
ownership group. "We will put it in the agreement. At this point, we have a
letter of intent, but when we make up the contract, we'll put that in there.
That's no problem. That won't be a problem."

Taylor 與准業主 Lore 及 A-Rod 之間的協議中的措辭與 Taylor 的多次公開發言形成對比，即協議將包括一項要求他們將灰狼隊留在明尼蘇達的條款。「他們會把球隊留在這裡，」泰勒在04月11日如此告訴（明尼亞波利斯）《明星論壇報》。「我們會把該條款寫進協議。我們目前有一份意向書，但當我們起草協議時，我們會把該條款寫進去。沒有問題的，這不會是一大問題。」

Several days later, Taylor reiterated to WCCO radio in Minneapolis: "We have
it in the contract. They have signed the contract to do that ..."

數天之後，Taylor 向當地 WCCO 電台再度強調：「我們在協議中有這項規定。他們也已經簽了這個協議……」

Taylor then said this: "But let's just say somehow they were able to break
that agreement. The real agreement is with the NBA. The NBA will make the
decision if somebody's going to move or not move. The NBA will not approve
the Timberwolves moving from here to Seattle. It's in the NBA's interest thatin Seattle a new team is formed.

接著 Taylor 說：

「但現在先大概提點，他們如何能毀約好了。目前真正的協議是跟聯盟達成的。他們會決 定是否批准這協議。他們不會同意將灰狼隊從明尼蘇達轉移到西雅圖。假如能在西雅圖 成立一支新球隊，這將會與聯盟的利益相符。」

"It's an economic decision that's in the interest of all the owners because
if they start a new team out there, that team is going to have to pay maybe
$2 billion to get started there. They pay that to the other owners. The
present owners are not going to pay a billion and a half to leave it in
Minnesota and another $2 billion to move it out of there. That's the
assurance I have that they aren't going to move it out of there."

「這是符合集體利益的經濟決策，因為如果要成立一支新球隊，將需要花費大概二十億美 元，且還是付給其他老闆。現有的老闆應該不可能支付十五億美元，以將球隊留在明尼 蘇達，然後又花二十億美元將球隊遷出。這是我從他們那邊取得的保證，他們不會從明 尼蘇達遷離球隊。」

Lore and Rodriguez are expected to buy the team in installments, first
becoming limited partners and then growing their percentage until they assumea controlling stake for the 2023-24 season. The sequencing is expected to
include a purchase of 20% of the team in 2021, sources said.

預計 Lore 及 A-Rod 將以分期付款的形式收購球隊，起初以有限夥伴的形式擁有球隊，之後逐漸增加持股百分比，直到 2023-24 賽季取得控股權優勢。消息來源表示，這順序預計包括在2021年時買下的百分之二十股權。

Essentially, Orbach's complaint says that the tag-along provision is supposedto be exercised immediately upon the finalizing of Lore and Rodriguez's
agreement to buy the team.

基本上，Orbach 的訴狀表示，在他們敲定了最終協議草本後，就理應立即行使跟隨權。

According to the complaint, "When Orbit [Orbach's company] attempted to
exercise its tag-along rights, Taylor not only ignored Orbit but also
privately stated -- contrary to his public statements -- that he's not
proposing to enter into a "control sale" with Rodriguez and Lore at this
time. Instead, Taylor is claiming that any "control sale" will be years in
the future, and therefore Orbit currently does not have any tag-along rights."

訴狀內容略以：「當 Orbit 公司準備行使跟隨權時，Taylor 不僅拒絕理會該公司，且更私下聲稱（非公開語調），他在這個時候並未打算與 Lore 及A-Rod 達成『控制權出售』的計劃。相反的，Taylor 表示，任何『控制權出售』將在未來數年內執行，因此 Orbit公司現階段不具有跟隨權。」

The complaint continues: "Taylor is wrong. Although the deal with Rodriguez
and Lore was structured in a clumsy attempt to circumvent Orbit's tag-along
rights, it does not deprive Orbit of its tag-along rights. ... The tag-along
rights are triggered regardless of whether control is transferred 'in a
single transaction or a series of related transactions,'" according to the
Timberwolves partnership agreement.

該訴狀繼續表示，「Taylor 已經錯了。儘管跟Lore 及A-Rod 達成的協議有避開Orbit 行使跟隨權的企圖，但這並未剝奪該公司的權力。……無論控制權是以『單一交易或一系列
的交易』進行轉移，理應都得觸發跟隨權。」

Taylor, 80, had entered an exclusive 30-day negotiating window April 10 that
expired without an agreement, though the sides continued to negotiate in goodfaith. Taylor previously said a deal was contingent on Lore and Rodriguez
keeping the team in Minnesota. The Timberwolves have a lease at the Target
Center through 2035, although the buyout is $50 million -- roughly 1.3% of
the $1.5 billion purchase price.

現年80歲的 Taylor 曾在04月10日進入一個為期 30 天的獨家談判期，儘管雙方仍以真誠的態度繼續談判，在限期屆滿的那一刻沒有達成協議。 Taylor 此前表示，交易的條件是Lore 和 A-Rod 將球隊留在明尼蘇達。灰狼隊在標靶中心球場的租約於2035年到期，而買斷費用為五千萬美元——大約為十五億美元收購價格的百分之一點三。

It is believed that Lore and Rodriguez need that time to gather up the
financing to complete the purchase of majority ownership, sources told ESPN.
The first payment is due when the deal closes, which is expected to be aroundJuly 1.

消息來源告知ESPN，據信 Lore 和 A-Rod 需要這段時間來集資，以完成收購多數股權。第一筆款項預計將在07月01日的交易結束期日時支付。

The Timberwolves have been traditionally one of the league's underperforming
teams in generating revenue.

從傳統上來說，灰狼隊在全聯盟的營收中，表現不佳。

From when Kevin Garnett was traded out of Minnesota in the 2007-08 season to
2018-19 -- the final full season prior to the pandemic --- the Timberwolves
ranked second worst in total attendance, ahead of only the Sacramento Kings,
according to ESPN Stats & Information.

從2007-08 賽季 Kevin Garnett 被交易開始，直到到2018-19 賽季——疫情大流行之前
的最後一個完整賽季，根據ESPN的統計顯示，灰狼隊的總入場人數排名第二差，僅較國王隊好一些。

Taylor had long sought this type of arrangement. Other owners such as the
late Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin did when selling to current owner
Ted Leonsis and, more recently, when Mikhail Prokhorov sold Joseph Tsai the
Brooklyn Nets in two transactions one year apart.

Taylor 長期以來在尋求這類協議。其他老闆，如已故的巫師隊老闆 Abe Pollin 在轉售給現任老闆 Ted Leonsis 時，也是如此，而相隔一年後，Mikhail Prokhorov 在兩筆交易中將籃網隊出售給蔡崇信。

Taylor bought the Timberwolves in 1994 for $88 million, which prevented a
franchise move to New Orleans. Taylor has said he will continue to run the
club for two more seasons until a hand-over in 2023.

Taylor 在1994 年以八千八百萬美元收購灰狼隊，避免了將特許權轉移到紐奧良。Taylor已經表示，他會繼續在下來的兩年內經營球隊，之後才會全數交接給新老闆。

The sale also includes the G League's Iowa Wolves and T-Wolves Gaming.

該協議也包括售出Ｇ聯盟的愛荷華灰狼及灰狼電競隊予新老闆。

Lore and Rodriguez met with Timberwolves personnel and toured team facilitiesin Minneapolis last month.

於上個月，Lore 和 A-Rod 曾在灰狼隊工作人員的陪同下，巡視了球隊的設施。

心得：無法明白其箇中緣由……

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