Fan Frustration vs. Franchise Reality: Why the Colorado Rockies Won’t See an Ownership Change Anytime Soon

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In the face of one of the worst starts in Major League Baseball history, the Colorado Rockies find themselves not only losing games but also losing the patience of their fan base. Yet despite the criticism and growing calls for change, team owner Dick Monfort is unlikely to sell. In professional sports, ownership changes occur not because of boos from the stands, but when the bottom line is threatened. Fan pressure alone, as frustrating as it may be, rarely has the power to force an owner to sell — especially when the business is still profitable. The Rockies, sitting at 7–33 entering the second week of May, are well on their way to a third consecutive 100-loss season. Columnist Troy Renck of The Denver Post points out that ownership is insulated by the fact that Coors Field remains a destination for out-of-town fans and tourists: “With Coors Field, it's a destination vacation”. This makes the Rockies uniquely dependent on gate revenue compared to other teams. Recent indicators, however, suggest that even this financial cushion might be under threat. Thousands of tickets remain unsold for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend series against the New York Yankees — a marquee matchup that traditionally fills the stadium. Renck emphasizes the potential impact: “If you go Yankees series and it's 25,000 (attendance) times three instead of 48 (thousand times three), that's a huge hit, and you would hope it would cause an epiphany”. But whether that financial jolt is enough to inspire real change remains doubtful. History offers a clearer roadmap for how ownership changes actually happen in professional sports. Nicki Jhabvala, a former Denver Post reporter who covered the Washington Commanders, explains that the ousting of former team owner Dan Snyder only came after a series of investigations and sponsor boycotts: “That was pressure from sponsors who wrote letters saying, ‘We're severing our deals unless you change the name’” (Jhabvala). Eventually, it was not the fans but legal and financial pressure from the NFL and business partners that forced Snyder out.

In contrast, the Rockies are not embroiled in scandal; they are simply ineffective. Their recent decision to fire manager Bud Black is seen by many, including Renck, as a misdirection. “To think that Bud Black being removed is going to change anything, I think, is completely false,” he said. “It's the lineup, not the person writing the lineup”. The team, in Renck’s words, “is a draft and develop team that doesn't draft or develop” — a searing indictment of both their strategy and execution. Adding to their woes is Major League Baseball’s anti-tanking rule. Despite being on pace for the league’s worst record, the Rockies are barred from picking in the top six of the 2025 draft due to a new rule that limits teams from receiving top-six picks three years in a row. This rule means that even losing fails to benefit the franchise: “Even if they finish with 45 wins, they're not going to get the first overall pick, so they even fail wrong”. Ultimately, while fans have every right to voice their frustrations, meaningful change in team ownership — especially in a relatively scandal-free environment — comes down to money. As long as Coors Field continues to draw visitors and generate revenue, ownership has little incentive to sell or fundamentally rethink its approach. Until attendance drops sharply or external business partners begin to push back, Rockies fans may be stuck watching the same slow spiral unfold, season after season.