White Sox fans are understandably excited about the new era coming to the South Side. The reign of terror of owner Jerry Reinsdorf is near its end and the White Sox will soon be run by an aggressive, big money owner who should have no trouble competing at the top of the market. Things aren’t all sunshine and rainbows in a future run by Justin Ishbia, however. A recent legal battle involving Justin’s brother and Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia serves as a stark reminder that in a world full of imperfect people, nothing will ever be perfect.
Mat Ishbia took over as controlling owner of the Phoenix Suns in 2023. Upon his takeover of the team, Ishbia aggressively tried to build up the roster with trades for Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Most of the minority owners under the previous regime sold their shares, but Scott Seldin and Andy Kohlberg did not. Seldin and Kohlberg are now suing Ishbia for refusing to give them access to documents and claim Ishbia is using the Suns as “his own personal piggy bank”. Ishbia denies the allegations, arguing that Seldin and Kohlberg’s interests are not in the best interest of the Suns or the fans.
Two Suns minority owners claim majority owner Mat Ishbia has committed fraud by using the team as his “personal piggy bank,” and allege he failed to fund a recent capital call on time, per Front Office Sports.
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) November 25, 2025
The suit alleged that Ishiba engaged in mismanagement, conflicts of… pic.twitter.com/gW51SpVrJU
Mat Ishbia's legal battle should be a warning to White Sox fans
While future White Sox owner Justin Ishbia is not a controlling partner of the Suns, he is an investor in the team and his finances contribute to the team’s aggressive ventures. The truth is, we may never know whether these allegations against Ishbia are valid or if it’s a case of minority owners upset at being pushed out. Regardless, this should serve as a warning to White Sox fans to remember that Justin Ishbia’s ownership of the White Sox will not be a flawless utopia. Mat Ishbia’s aggressive moves have yet to result in a championship for the Suns, and have even put the team in a precarious financial situation.
Even with new ownership, the White Sox will need to push the right buttons and make the right moves to put a winning team on the field. An owner that wants to win and is willing to use financial resources to do so certainly feels like an upgrade over Reinsdorf, but don’t let yourself believe that everything will be perfect. The result of the Ishbia lawsuit will be worth watching for White Sox fans over the next several months. If the court rules in the favor of Seldin and Kohlberg, it might be a substantial enough hiccup to give Sox fans pause.
In a world full of imperfect people, it will never be sunshine and rainbows as a White Sox fan. All we can hope is that better times are ahead on the south side.