Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban could be wading into the Texas Rangers sale.
Cuban told KTCK-AM he has offered to help a group led by team president and Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan and sports attorney Chuck Greenberg buy the team.
But he also told The Ticket he would be open to throwing his name into mix to buy the team. He later told news outlets that he is exploring possibly joining Ryan's group as an investor or putting together another group.
"My lawyers are still going through everything, but the bigger point is that I now have an interest," Cuban told the Dallas Morning News and Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The sale of the team to Ryan's group has stalled over legal wrangling between the team and its creditors. The Rangers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May in hopes of spurring completion of the sale. A federal bankruptcy judge has set an Aug. 4 auction date, despite complaints from creditors that the bidding process is unfair.
Cuban told the newspapers he doesn't want to push Ryan and Greenberg out of the equation, adding he's willing to just work with them as an investor.
He also said he will decide whether or not to pursue his interest in the baseball team after he learns more.
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Some Rangers fans said they would welcome a Cuban-owned team.
"He's a very dynamic individual, Mark Cuban is, and he's done a lot for the Mavericks, right?" baseball fan Stef Petryszyn said. "I think he can ingest a lot of enthusiasm for the Rangers."
But others said they worried about his colorful personality and the game-day antics sometimes seen court-side at Mavs' games.
"The thing with Mark Cuban and Major League Baseball -- they're such old schoolers that I don't think they want someone as flamboyant with his personality out there," Rangers fan Terrance Woodall said. "So if he's a minority owner, I don't see it being a problem."
Cuban declined to tell the Star-Telegram if he would push to be lead owner.
But at the end of the day, if Cuban ends up holding the Rangers' reigns, fans say they hope he'll be able to hit a home run.
"As long as he stays off the field, they'll be fine," Petryszyn said.
