But there is also a new breed of owner, the technology entrepreneurs, willing to buy teams.
Marcelo is one of the few female technology entrepreneurs to raise more than $35 million in venture capital funding.
Mike is considered one of Britain's most successful technology entrepreneurs.
After working for the now-defunct oil company Yukos from 1998-2001, he went on to earn a living as a technology entrepreneur.
Prior to baseball, Luhnow worked as an engineer, management consultant, and technology entrepreneur.
A trio of technology entrepreneurs started Quintess in 2004.
Young, wealthy technology entrepreneurs are turning themselves into angels - investors who use their own money to back ideas in which they believe.
"We'd get someone who was an amazing technology entrepreneur but who didn't know anything about the developing world."
TheFunded.com, a social networking site for technology entrepreneurs, rated him their favorite venture capitalist in 2007.
For technology entrepreneurs, the Flip story may be a cautionary tale of another sort.
