Report: Major League Baseball rejects the Dodgers-Fox deal

MSNBC ^ | June 20, 2011 | Craig Calcaterra

[La Enchiladita]

Yahoo!’s Tim Brown reports that Major League Baseball has notified Frank McCourt that it will not approve the Dodgers’ 17-year television deal with Fox. This will (a) put the kibosh on the McCourt’s divorce settlement, which hinged on the deal’s approval; and (b) all but ensure that the Dodgers won’t make their end of the month payroll. When that happens, baseball will likely seize and sell the Dodgers.

The biggest question here: does Frank wait until that happens to sue, or does he sue now, claiming that Major League Baseball interfered with his ability to run his baseball team? My guess is on the latter. My guess is also that he’s had the papers to that effect drawn up for some time.

It’s about to get real in L.A., folks.

[La Enchiladita]

Now it’s official, with Shaikin and everyone else reporting that Major League Baseball has, in fact, rejected the Dodgers-Fox deal and that Frank McCourt has, in fact, been notified of it.

This doesn't mean we're home free, so to speak, since Fwank has to run out of ways to screw L.A., the Dodgers and the fans before he leaves. This, however, is a big step.

[La Enchiladita]

More good stuff here: http://itsaboutthemoney.net/archives/2011/06/20/commissioner-selig-frank-mccourt-must-go-a-petition/

[raccoonradio]

The Further Adventures of Commish Bud Light and “The Boston Parking Lot Guy”, as he’s apparently known in LA. McCourt owned a bunch of Boston real estate and was among the suitors for the Red Sox. He would have built a park on the Boston waterfront—and no doubt the 04 and 07 Red Sox titles would not have happened. (Not the Frank McCourt who wrote “Angela’s Ashes”—_he_ died in 09)

[La Enchiladita]

If you have time to read through the link in #2, it is absolutely stomach-churning stuff. Fwank goes way beyond being a filthy capitalist pig, imo. He has systematically dismantled the franchise. It will not be easy or quick to build the Dodgers back up again.

[raccoonradio]

Yes...I linked it on facebook and said “imagine the words Red Sox in place of the word Dodgers”—in other words, that could have happened in Boston just as easily had he got the team,
right?

[RayChuang88]

And the only person that could build it back up again: Mark Cuban. Alas, the MLB office don't want Cuban, despite the fact that Cuban has turned the Dallas Mavericks into one of the best franchises in the NBA--no contest!

Imagine if Cuban could get a hand on the Dodgers. He would do the following:

1. Completely renovate the "fan experience" at Dodger Stadium to attract a larger variety of fans in the Los Angeles area.
2. Completely rebuild the clubhouses--both home and visitor--to make it more attractive to ballplayers.
3. Completely rebuild the press area to make it easier for media to operate there.
4. Find ways to attract the best players to join the team, especially with a superior front office organization.

Yes, we have our political qualms with Cuban, but you can't ignore the fact he turned around a once-moribound Mavericks team into world champions.

[La Enchiladita]

Thanks, Ray. Cuban offered some interesting comments re Dodgers ownership during the past 24 hrs: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=6691219&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

It will take a lot of work and money to clean up Fwank’s mess. McCourt is a crazy slob who should never have been allowed near baseball.

[Mears]

bfl