Larry Baer, the Giants President and CEO, has quietly built up a superstar network of local business, political and social leaders with the focus being centered on the franchise's financial heath and overall well being.
It's impressive to say the least and with the Giants headed to their third World Series in five years that vast cachet of clout that Baer has established within his own inner circle only gets more pronounced.
Speaking of such, how's this for starters: Baer stands to receive a whopping $10M "service" bonus from the Giant's partners if the team wins another title and they're the odds-on favorite against the Kansas City Royals.
That's a 10 MILLION! bonus. That doesn't take into account Baer's multi-million dollar salary but the Giants are making mountains of money, more money than you can imagine with a waiting list of corporate sponsors, a sold-out season ticket base, and a nearly paid-for waterfront ballpark palace that is the envy of all Major League Baseball partners.
Baer's influence extends from the Giant's TV partnership; its cable affiliate, (and limited owner, Comcast), all the way to KNBR, with an extraordinary say on virtually all commercial broadcasts and beyond. Baer oversees all of that and then some and before anything gets hitched, Baer must see it and OK it. You'd be surprised to know just how much cachet and clout Baer carries, it's gargantuan and it's only going to get bigger and bigger.
Have you seen those frequent crowd shots of Baer schmoozing with some celebrities from the music, entertainment or political world? Baer works the room very well; the Giants are flush with cash and sitting on millions in profits and Baer is the captain of the ship. The next time you plunk down a hundred bucks for a few polish dogs and panda hats, a beer or two, Larry Baer says thank you.
He should.
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In other words he's doing his job.
ReplyDeleteGo Royals...
ReplyDeleteHow could 415 leave out the biggest Giant's human interest story? Steve Perry. Who would ever have guessed Steve Perry would grow up to be a Buddy Hacket clone? NO more long hair,no more being a rail. Paunchy and short haired now. Getting old isn't for the meek.
ReplyDeleteLittle askance at Perry, given he was such a White Sox fan in 2005!
DeleteAnd what does this have to do with Larry Baer?
DeleteLarry Baer controls KNBR like a puppet master.
ReplyDeleteJust listen sometime to KNBR's 5:00am - 9:00am circus.
Embarrassing.
Neither Radnich nor Tolbert are reluctant to criticize the Giants when they are awful, like they were in June, July, and most of August.
DeleteThe worst part of a Giants post-series celebration is the obligatory interview with Baer.
ReplyDeleteThe switch goes on and the guy rambles non-stop, even worse than Jon Miller during a replay review.
I was a diehard fan for 25 years. Sometime after the 2010 WS I lost a lot of interest in the team. Too many bandwagon fans, too much ridiculous marketing, huge dollar grab on anything and everything.
ReplyDeleteSo how did those bandwagon fans impact your life? Those bandwagon fans had an impact on the team...how?
DeleteLove watching the Giants but I'm really tired of all of the marketing nonsense and the way everything associated with the Giants is commercialized these days. The other day at the game, there was a long announcement on the video board about how you could buy Candlestick Seats for a mere $800 a pair, or own an 'authentic' Buster Posey hat for $150, or buy a game used ball that had been officially authenticated for $50. They're not making enough money as is? Baer oversees the money machine, and that's how he keeps the rest of the owners happy. I get a kick out of how they parade onto field whenever the Giants win a post season series at home to take bows from the fans, who don't even know or care who they are. Everything is about money, and Baer keeps that machine cranking hard so that the owners are happy.
ReplyDeleteOne more: Larry Baer does not give up on a idea. Remember when he had the media say that "the Melkmen" were by die hard fans?..and of course Larry and the Giants paid for the costumes with free seats,etc. as it turned out.
ReplyDeleteWell,Who believes those professional looking giant 'Panda Heads" are made by five Giant fans?
Cute idea..but Larry likes that kind of thing doesn't he?
Sure Stan, Larry Baer is the secret instigator behind the Great Panda Head conspiracy. Is there any evidence? Of course not, just Stan's boundless imagination. Hey Stan, bet Larry Baer is a big Republican too.
Deleteomg. How ignorant can you b? Baer who orchestrated the "Melkman" is not behind the giant Panda Heads?..yeah,what wild speculation on my part. Oh boy.
DeleteEvery time I see them,I wonder why fans behind them don't complain they cant see the game?..probably more part time employees;
SO when are you and the others who posted on my Nancy Snyderman is a snob comments,with insults to me, going to post "You were right Stan"?
I'm like an Oracle. A prophet. Worship me. I don't mind.
With nothing but his own misguided intuition, resident crackpot Stan imagines diabolical schemes everywhere.
DeleteThere isn't an iota of evidence that Baer created the Panda Heads or the Melkman. Why would Baer bother when there are so many rabid fans who do these things on their own?
Fans all around the country do crazy things. Hey Stan, Did Billy Beane come up with the drummers at O.CO?
You couldn't make me look better if you tried! on the heels of my posts on the A's sinking like rocks (I dont see Kawakami or Killion admitting Stan was right!), Mo at SJS and of course Nancy's attitude. And that's just in the last few weeks!
DeleteHey,Einstein was lucky too? All that relativity intuition. lol.
Did I send that last post in to the wrong topic?...watching Raiders and posting at the same time.
DeleteHey,Baer is Prez of the Giants. I'm sure he approves of Perry dancing down the aisles like a hog in a tu-tu.
And I left out..ch2 and FOX. When all others said "KTVU will not change"..I said- they will. Right again Stan.
DeleteAnd seriously, 1039 has to be some kind of flunky. It was in all the papers and on all the sports blogs about the Melkmen being a Baer/Giants creation The amount of spin and denial to never admit they are wrong,and I am right gets ridiculous.
Be glad I'm a benevolent genius.
Stan seems to be having a delightful conversation with himself but not sure why he imagines anyone else knows what he's talking about or cares.
DeleteStan is a digital version of those disturbed people out on the street, madly carrying on and muttering to themselves.
539 is the ultimate Republican..just some personal attacks of the worst "yo mama" kind he can get away with. Even as his comments pile up ..I'm talking to myself he says? lol idiot.. he cant even make a cogent argument. He's down to the Sesame Street level of debate.
DeleteJust wait until he posts he "Never reads my comments"- AGAIN- Flunkstermeister that he is.
And for my coupe de grass-ee, Have you noticed,none of media has sauntered over to talk to any of the Pandaheads?..offl limits!. It would ruin the fantasy.
DeleteFinally as this topic will soon fade..5 guys in 3' Panda heads sitting all side by side? Would you pay $1500 for tickets to sit behind that?..if you get my drift and if you read my above posts..
Larry Baer is a really good businessman. That's why I don't understand the poor decision to employ Amy G. Inconsistent and weird.
ReplyDeleteDid you see Erin Andrews? Amy G suddenly seems like she's related to Albert Einstein.
DeleteIf I hear Erin Andrews say "biotics" one more time...
DeleteI have met Erin Andrews. Granted she is getting older but she is a nice lady and a "one of the guys girl" she cusses like a truck driver and is wicked funny!
DeleteLarry Baer is a prick. That is all
ReplyDeleteAgreed. When Scott Cousins ran into Buster Posey, Kruk said it was a clean, hard play. The next day, Kruk changed his tune. Don't tell me that Baer wasn't behind that reversal. Kruk is a puppet and the Giants treatment of that incident was sickening. Sabean's rant on KNBR a WEEK later brought death threats to Cousins. Ask former Giant catcher, Steve Decker, who worked with Posey in the minor leagues. Buster was out of position. It was his own fault and the fact that Buster wouldn't take a call from Cousins speaks to his lack of character. To top it off, MLB put in the "Buster rule" --
Deletethe dumbing down of the catching position. It should be called the "Sissy rule."
I used to like Posey his rookie season, turns out he is a prick like the rest of them.
DeleteThe only guy I like on that whole roster is Vogelsong.
Larry Baer can thank us by signing more top notch free agents in the coming years.
ReplyDeleteVogey, Peavy, and Hudson are long in the tooth. Panda's contract demands are going to be bigger than his belly. Timmy's career may be up in smoke. Cain may be damaged goods. Is Morse coming back? Can Pagan stay healthy? Lots of potential openings on this team in the not so distant future, and no reason why good fortune Larry and Associates should go on the cheap.
The Royals will sweep the Giants in 4 games and Larry Baer will be fired.
ReplyDeleteI guarantee it.
He owns part of the team now, so he can't be fired. The most they could do is make him sit in the penalty luxury box with Magowan and Neukom...and they're way too busy counting their money to do that. Charles Johnson neefs a front man.
Deletea sweep by either team is 12-1 on Bovada. put your $ where your mouth is.
DeleteThe thing I like about Larry Baer is that he is local, an SF Native, running a team that is located in SF! Larry Baer is no carpetbagger, living in another state, with the option of removing the SF Giants to another State, or City.
ReplyDeleteI ask any of you that have criticism of Mr. Baer, "If he owned the 49ers would their stadium now be located in the small suburb of Santa Clara??? NO!
Lastly I believe that Larry Baer, & Co is going to try everything within his power to bring the Olympics to SF. That venue/stadium will remain in SF long after the Olympics is gone, that my friends will be a new NFL Venue, for a new team in San Francisco...."trust."
Larry, anything else that you would like to say about yourself?
Delete^^^You can't take the "truth" huh? Btw, I'm not Larry Baer, but U need to stop being a troll, eh???
DeleteLarry Baer is from New York.
DeleteYour a fucking moron!
No, Baer is not - he grew up in SF, went to UC Berkeley and was a CBS exec in New York before coming back to SF.
DeleteSay poster at 5:33pm are you the Giants PR man? Maybe his Yes man.
DeleteYou have been defending Larry Baer all over the place.
Did he pay you extra dollars to come to this site and defend him?
8:06
DeleteHe said at SFSU graduation last year he moved to the city as a very young boy from New York!
You don't get a New York accent by just moving there to work for a couple years!
@ October 20, 2014, at 4:45 AM
DeleteGoogle it, ya dumb shit, Larry Baer is a 4th Generation San Franciscan! I see you're still doing your job tho....Being a effing TROLL?!
Larry does his job very well. A consummate schmoozer, manager and visionary. He hired the right people who helped create a winning culture-the envy of professional sports. Larry makes sure via the media that fans understand why they love the Giants..
ReplyDeleteUh....so do we want to go back to the pre-Larry Baer/Candlestick days? Those days look pretty similar to what goes on across the bay today...ownership that doesn't spend money to promote the team, a fan base that is primarily die-hard baseball fans, half empty stadiums. I don't love everything Larry Baer does, but he was the prime driver to get all the rich guys together to pony-up the dough to build AT&T Park. It was a huge leap of faith for people to invest given what was going on at Candlestick. As a longtime Giants fan (since the mid 60s), I much prefer the current situation of World Series games, sellout crowds and overall Baseball relevance. Yep, you have to deal with Marketing, bandwagon fans, high prices etc....but tell me which experience is more fun? If you want quiet irrelevance....the A's have plenty of seats available.
ReplyDeleteBandwagons are fun. That's why they're not called "funeral processions". I love all the holier-than-thous that think they're owed something but I don't blame a single person for enjoying a winning ballclub and watching some great players, nor for having been turned off by a team like the 07 Giants. Pretty unwatchable, even though I did.
Delete823 put a new large set of boobs on your wife and tell me it doesn't annoy you when she starts getting all kinds of new looks, lots of attention and flirting. You'll be telling yourself, "no one ever gave a shit about her ugly ass before she added those huge boobs". Yea, you'd be annoyed at all of the new attention. They couldn't have cared less about her homely ass before.
DeleteAnd, yet, the Giants still refuse to pay the city for adequate security at the park.
ReplyDeleteDon't understand the hate. The Giants sucked before Baer. Yeah, paying to "steal second base" or ride with the mascot is lame, but if people want to pay it - who cares? The team is winning, the stands are full. He's doing his job. He's been a constant in an ever rotating roster.
ReplyDeleteGo Royals! Go Moustakas! Greek Power!!
ReplyDeleteNow Larry can buy a new camera!!
Larry Baer has been very successful and apparently quite good at what he does. Why does that offend Rich Lieberman?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to the Giants all around. They are the envy of MLB, looking to win their third world series in the last five years, have one of the or the best ballpark in all of baseball, have a great GM and Manager, A great announcing team, powerful marketing, and yield huge profits. Hard to argue that Larry Baer shouldn't be the most powerful Sports media person in the bay area.
ReplyDeleteMy only issue with Larry Baer and the Giants is the holding on to the "territorial rights" in the South Bay, so the A's can't move and build a world class park too.
5:46 - Is the only responder that has the right take to this laughable subject of Larry Baer compensation. Worry more about bank president's and their salaries and policies that impact our day-to-day lives than some sport franchise. If you don't like Larry's deal...find entertainment elsewhere. You're in charge.
DeleteFYI, Larry Bear DOES NOT control KNBR. Lee Hammer controls KNBR. But no one and I mean NO ONE, including Krueger, who works at KNBR is going to say a bad word about that team, (and why should they right now?) because the Giants broadcasts bring in a huge percentage of KNBR's revenue. So expecting anyone who works there to take shots at the Giants, even when they're going badly is never going to happen.
ReplyDelete@7:50 - Obviously you weren't listening to KNBR during June, July, and August this year when the Giants were awful. Radnich, Krueger, and Tolbert took plenty of shots at the team. So what you're saying is just plain wrong
DeleteWake up 7:50. Hammer only controls what Larry Baer and the Giants allow him to control. Lee is a puppet to end all puppets, as was Bob Agnew before him..
DeleteLarry Baer's puppet is at it again at 7:50PM.
DeleteThe Giants apologist are coming out of the woodwork.
Just hide those orange and black pom poms.
About what % do the Giants have in comcast and KNBR ownership? or is it the other way around?
ReplyDeleteGiants own something like 35% of Comcast. KTVU owns part of the giants (<2%).
DeleteKNBR is owned by Cumulus Media, which is run out of Atlanta, and they have entrusted Operating Manager Lee Hammer to run their sports powerhouse. Larry Baer runs the Giants, but Hammer has the final say as to what hosts and update folks may or may not say about the Giants, NOT Larry Baer. Anyone who knows the market and understands what is going on knows this. It's very plain and common knowledge. Why people keep thinking that Larry Baer tells KNBR what to do and that Hammer is merely a 'puppet' have got it all wrong. Hammer is a visionary who has put KNBR at the top of the leaderboard in local ratings. He's the 'Larry Baer' of local radio!
ReplyDeletegiants were never leaving SF i dont care what anyone says. baer gets waaaaaaaay too much credit for simply being in right place in right time. yeah he's a sharp guy but he isnt jesus christ like many portray him. and he greatly benefited from two flukey world series wins that made him a lot smarter than he really is.
ReplyDelete