UPDATE: Peter Abraham of the Globe just spoke to John Henry and he shot the Fox report down in no uncertain terms:

“A sale of any kind is so far from our thinking it hasn’t even come up apart from technical planning issues involving death or disability. This report is completely without foundation. “Regarding unnamed sources: Any sale discussions that may have taken place were missing three key people — Larry (Lucchino), Tom (Werner) and me. The Sox and any of the other components of FSG are not for sale and will not be for the foreseeable future.”

Makes one wonder what the Fox report was based on. Maybe that estate planning stuff? Some hypothetical market research? God knows that in a day and age when the Dodgers sell for $2 billion that one might want to figure out what your team could bring you in a sale.

But yeah, that’s a pretty stark refutation.

11:33 AM: Earlier this year John Henry flatly denied rumors that he and his partners were looking to sell the Red Sox. Now this, from Fox Business Network:

The owners of the Boston Red Sox are mulling a potential sale of the storied baseball franchise, and have even begun quietly shopping the team to potential buyers, the FOX Business Network has learned.

It’s still a shopping, not a final decision to sell, FOX reports. And it has a lot to do about Fenway Sports Group’s desire and/or ability to run both the Sox and Liverpool FC, it’s English Premier League team. Both of which, by the way, have seen significant cost reductions and the dealing of players lately.

Harbinger of a sale, or just a business assessing its current position in light of recent setbacks?