Frank McCourt pleads his case: Here's hoping MLB (and Fox) is not feeling charitable
So what do you think Frank McCourt is up to?
Three days of meetings in New York. All so hush-hush. Don't think he was just dropping by after visiting Vladimir Shpunt.
The Times’ Bill Shaikin reported that the meetings with Major League Baseball executives were at the behest of McCourt, and that McCourt outlined his legal and financial plans for retaining control of the team as his divorce proceedings march on.
Those must have been some plans, having to be spread over three days. Ending with his big finish: See, everything is just hunky-dory!
I'm thinking not. That McCourt would schlep his crew to New York for three days in the dead of winter to plead his case to MLB execs -- noticeably minus Commissioner Bud Selig -- indicates he senses trouble.
Oh, if only it were true. Big trouble. "Get out of Dodge" trouble.
History tells us that Selig is not eager to force McCourt out. Selig would rather get all the owners together around the campfire, sing songs and roast marshmallows than to suddenly go confrontational.
Yet even the less-than-dynamic Selig has to be seriously ticked off that the McCourts would pull over $100 million out of the team’s operations to become the Great Land Barons of the Westside. And even the watch-me-leverage-a-parking-lot-into-a-$1-billion-franchise McCourt has to recognize it.
So he takes his meetings and plays his shell game and outlines ... what? Was his hat out?
This much seems apparent: McCourt is less than flush and is going to need a stunning amount of dinero if he is to pay Jamie McCourt for half the team.
If you're Frank McCourt, what's your play? He has stated he has no intention of selling a minority ownership. He's already been turned away for additional loans -- one from an infomercial dude, no less.
But it's hard to believe that MLB would offer any short-term financing relief, given his history of turning team profit into Chateau McCourt No.6. ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (Insider status required) wrote that if MLB doesn't lend McCourt a hand, he could be squeezed out.
See, I do write positive posts.
The one scary factor in all this, as it always has been, is Fox. Someone explain the concept of "three strikes" to the network. One, it bought the team and ran into it into the ground so badly financially that; two, the only buyers who could be scrounged up were the McCourts; three, would be to offer McCourt a rich new television contract to bail him out of this mess.
Shaikin wrote that Selig could reject any new television contract, and you can only hope.
Know this: McCourt is going to work all the angles. He won't sell without examining every possible recourse. Vladimir, you could be on deck again.
-- Steve Dilbeck
The McCourts are nothing more than "pond scum "...they have virtually destroyed the moral of us life long Dodgers fans to the point, we hope they fail so MLB can discharge the McCourts !
Come on Bud, show us some real "stones" and take this franchise away from these two east coast con artists.
Im so freaking sick of both of their ugly mugs !
PLEASE MLB, no more loans, no more financing, lets give this team back to the fans of LA ~
Posted by: John Boyes | 01/12/2011 at 07:15 AM
The day Frank sells the team we're gonna party like its 1999... er 1988.
Posted by: Labeldude | 01/12/2011 at 08:13 AM
SELL THE TEAM FRANK! Dodger fans deserve better.
Posted by: SmackSaw | 01/12/2011 at 10:24 AM
It's sure getting interesting.
Posted by: OldBrooklynFan | 01/12/2011 at 05:38 PM
Is a Fox better or worse than a (Lew) Wolff?
Posted by: Inquiring Minds Want to Know | 01/13/2011 at 12:59 AM
Just go away Frank. Just go away.
Posted by: alanw19 | 01/13/2011 at 03:24 AM
The indication of Selig being able to reject TV contracts was that he wouldn't allow McCourt to use the money from the TV contract to pay Jamie off and not put the money back into the team and facilities. I just hope Selig would use that power if that situation arises.
I've also read some posts that Frank might be trying to get short term financing from MLB, similar to what they did for the Rangers last year. But the Rangers were in the process of being sold by a bankrupt owner, while Frank would be trying to use the money to keep the team. Big difference and the other owners show no sign of wanting to help Frank out.
Posted by: neoncactus | 01/13/2011 at 07:57 AM
Why do you think Selig is upset about this? MLB is made up of member teams. Those teams bid on the same players. With the McCourts taking money out of the franchise and not spending it on players, it creates less competition for free agents, and lower salaries. The union should be upset with the McCourts owning the dodgers, but MLB is getting exactly what it wanted.
Posted by: derek | 01/13/2011 at 08:05 AM
As bad as the McCourts have been, you've got to wonder about the people that continue to pay big money for parking, admissions, and food. They are just feeding the McCourts, not the players! The only thing that guarantees the end of the McCourt reign is to hit them in the pocketbook. Stop sending money to the team!
Posted by: MichaelG | 01/13/2011 at 08:16 AM