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Report: A’s exec and ‘Moneyball’ pioneer Billy Beane plans to leave baseball

By Matt Weyrich

Report: ‘Moneyball’ pioneer Billy Beane plans to leave baseball originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

The “Moneyball” era may finally be coming to an end in Oakland.

Billy Beane is set to step down from his position in the Athletics’ front office once the merger goes through between a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) he co-chairs and Boston Red Sox owner John Henry’s Fenway Sports Group, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. The merger would cause a conflict of interest for Beane, who owns a minority stake in the A’s as well.

Beane partnered with a private-equity firm in July to found RedBall Acquisition Corporation, an SPAC that set out to raise $500 million to go toward purchasing professional sports teams and/or leagues. Its deal with Fenway Sports Group, which the WSJ reports will cost Henry’s group $8 billion for a 25 percent stake, would allow Beane to pursue “other sports business ventures” including European soccer.

Henry has attempted to lure Beane to Boston for the better part of 20 years, first trying in 2002 to pry him away from Oakland by offering to make him the highest-paid GM in MLB history. Beane was offered a five-year, $12.5 million deal to join the Red Sox, but he declined in order to spend more time with his teenage daughter. In the 18 years since, Boston has won four World Series. The A’s have won zero.

The longtime baseball executive is credited with being an early adopter of the sabermetric movement. His strategy of using analytics to pinpoint market inefficiencies and translate them into on-field success became the industry standard across MLB front offices. He was played by Brad Pitt in the movie “Moneyball” (2011), which was based on the Michael Lewis book of the same name.

The 58-year-old will now join Henry’s ownership group, which already owns the English Premier League’s reigning champion Liverpool in addition to the Red Sox. Beane is a minority owner of both England’s Barnsley Football Club and the Dutch club AZ Alkmaar. It’s not clear what exactly his role will be with Fenway Sports Group, but all signs appear to point toward him leaving baseball behind.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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