McCourts reach settlement in Dodgers divorce case

Frank and Jamie McCourt have reached a divorce settlement, according to three people familiar with the case.

The McCourts and their lawyers are scheduled to appear before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon at 8:30 a.m.

The McCourts filed for divorce 20 months ago, one week shy of what would have been their 30th anniversary and the ownership of the Dodgers has been in limbo ever since.

We'll have more soon at latimes.com/sports.

MORE:

Photos: The Dodgers and the McCourts

Baseball expanding investigation into Dodgers

Dodgers' June 30 payroll looms large in McCourt case

McCourts' settlement also could affect Los Angeles Marathon

-- Bill Shaikin

Photo: Frank McCourt. Credit: Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[AB]

Here we go.

[ratbag]

He got the bats. She got the balls?

[poorBUThappy]

Frank McCourt is back in bed with Jamie McCourt (now there's a visual for you) and it will make little difference to MLB. The Dodgers will be taken over by MLB before the All-Star break.

[howard]

@ ratbag: She already had a lot...

[aggirlj]

@ Ratbug: Nice one!

[Insurrextion]

I went to Dodger stadium last week. Looks old....

[dino]

jamie's getting an expense "allowance" of $500,000 per month! Can I volunteer to be her pool boy?

[Cheat On]

Can't wait until Steve Soboroff.... errr "Dodger Tony" tries to tell us that this in any way changes the fact that McCourt will soon be sent skidding on his rear end back to Boston thus ending his era of money grubbing malfeasance and mismanagement.

[Tony]

Selig hold your ground. Do not approve the FOX television contract. Frank will siphon some of it to pay off Jaimie. Force him to sell the team!

[Bonnie Russell]

Why do I believe the three people familiar with the case all forensic accountants? Ummm, probably because of www.familylawcourts.com :)

[No More Money]

Initially, I supported the McCourt ownership. But now, i can only say this about them:

SCUMBAGS

Both of them are ridiculous. I truly hope one or both of them or their sons read this.

We do not want you here. Leave. Go back east. Take your money, pack up and go. It is over. If you are so insulated that you think that LA will support the Dodgers under your watch, then you are very, very much mistaken.

Like so many before you, you came to LA, it kicked your butt, broke your dreams, and you need to go back to where you came from.

We need local ownership for the Dodgers. Period.

[dodger tony]

As my brilliant colleague Hollywood Dodger Mark and I have been declaring all along! It took me some time to come on board to the reality of what was happening. The FOX contract and BIG PLAYERS are next!! Selig has no choice but to approve the deal with no impeding from Jamie. Wow! What a survivor Frank McCourt is!!!

[skyharbor]

This could be a non event if the settlement is based on the Fox deal being approved by MLB. The Dodgers will be sold.

[John]

So Franky has promised Jamie a cut of future TV money from the Fox deal in order to sale? That money is supposed to go to the team! Bud and MLB WILL NEVER APPROVE THE DEAL!

[boil]

the good news is the extremely low attendance at dodgers stadium. the best way to bring down this team, is by fiscal means.... they stink anyway... i know, have a shaved head, baggie pants, and tats on your face night.... oh, wait thats every night at the stadium. a family friendly environment,.

[Paul M. Mock]

DAMN! I want these clowns O-U-T completely.

[Scott]

One can only hope poorBUThappy, one can only hope!!

[dan koehler]

weiners and franks, same thing, different names....scumbag Weiner is gone, lets hope scumbag Frank is next...

[16blows]

And now, Frank and Fox can get together & the dudgers will remain Frank McCourt's... just wait & see. He would not have agreed sans mechanism in place something otherwise, my opine.

Lose the (ex) wife? ✔

Lose the $ (he used but never owned)? ✔

Lose the respect (he never had) of los angeles fans? ✔

Lose the dudgers?

NEVER.

The fight in Frankie as the nightmare itself has just begun...

[Native Angeleno]

If she withdraws her request for the court to auction off the team, she's a fool. She'll get more that route than from (a) F***k (2) an MLB sale.

If in desperation F***k hit her unmercilessly with the notion that if she does not settle with him, and let him keep control, the Dodgers will not be passed on to their Goldman-Sachs employee spawn, and she succumbed, the fan base will permanently evaporate.

Is that what MLB wants? I don't think so. They need to let the McCourt Reign die by refusing to approve the very bad Fox deal, in the face of F***k's desperate need for cash, like a meth addict, to keep the team. The deal is bad because it was negotiated under duress at less than optimum return.

[Hollywood Dodger Mark]

TV deal already approved. MLB blinked a long time ago. Black pastors and Latin leaders scared them even further. Jamie would have been crazy not to agree to this deal. If the court or MLB doesn't approve she is back to square one with the divorce. She has nothing to lose and everything to gain. MLB wraps up investigation on the 22nd. TV deal will be approved on the 23rd. Instant $300 million to Frank so he can make payroll, then he goes out and gets 2 players so he can redeem himself. Maybe, just speculating, Soriano for left field from the Cubs and/or Zambrano. This will help the Dodgers this season. McCourt is gonna look for redemption in the eyes of Dodger fans and try to find a Manny-like situation for us.

[LoveYaVin]

The IRS and California Franchise Tax Board are going to be all over the RED RED flag that Jamie McCourt wants protection from all tax liabilities. The blockbuster but not surprising news will come when MLB reveals the results of their investigation into McCourt's business practices. McCourt was not only caught looting the Dodger Dream Foundation of $400,000 (for which he has made restitution after an investigation by the California Attorney General) but it will be revealed that he was stealing from the MLB as well. It will be MUCH bigger news that the McCourt divorce tidbits and will be the basis for MLB pulling the trigger on Frank. May he arrest in peace.

[sports7777]

It is over for the Mc Courts.
The fat lady is warming up.
MLB will take over team

or force it into bankruptcy court just like
the Texas Rangers this past year
and get a bidding war going for the Dodgers.

[Dodger BooHoo]

Why is this man smiling?

[Fan]

Went to Dodger game on 6/15, Stadium looks good and the half price food was nice. Dodgers stunk. Knocking the stadium is just nuts. I live in san diego and have been to quite a few padre games at Petco Park, it nice but a dog and pony show. If your not at Dodger Stadium for the game and need a lot of other crap going on, drive down here to a Padre game. Half the people at the game came for some sort of give-away or because it's cool to do. Not rael fans, just want to say they went.

[Hollywood Dodger Mark]

Okay here's the deal:
http://documents.latimes.com/mccourt-settlement/

Of the $385 million the Dodgers would immediately receive for the 17 yr. $3 billion dollar deal with Fox, court documents lock in Frank McCourt to put $50 million in court hands, $80 million towards Dodger debt, $10 million for lawyers. $10 million for Frank and Jamie. This leaves $235 Million for Dodger payroll. He can only legally touch $23 million to repay himself. Which leaves over $200 million for Dodger player payroll! $200 Million would be available immediately to sign big name players at the trade deadline. I think he wants to redeem himself and make a splash. Carlos Lee? Raphael Soriano? Carlos Zambrano? David Wright? Carlos Beltran? Who knows.

[BlueinAZ]

There are 29 owners who will back Selig on any action take against McCourt simply on the "good of the game" grounds, and Bud knows it. Frank is grasping at straws here. Judge Scott Gordon could still pull this one out with a community property ruling. It's too bad that Jamie caved on this one, but you could never count on Jamie for anything in the first place. This is trading a pawn for a pawn. There's no saving grace for Frank here. The end game is here, and it's just going to be a matter of time and details before he's checkmated.

[scott]

IRS is next on the June 22nd, Frank will be in Jail by end of the year. taxes are hard to escape.

[David Hughlock]

I'll bet she bunt's good too. ;-)

[Cheat On]

Dodger Phony is back here doing his usual McCourt fluff job.

Guess what Phony?

Selig ISN'T going to approve it and no amount of wishing will make it so. It's a bad deal for the teams future and for the rest of the MLB clubs. Selig isn't going to let McScum lowball the value of the TV rights, just because Frank needs cash.

Remember when McScum pledged that he wouldn't use any of the FOX upfront money to settle his divorce? Well, I am shocked to announced that he lied.

Settlement terms show about $50 million will be placed in an account subject to Gordon’s orders, while another $10 million would be used for attorneys’ fees, the agreement said. About $80 million will go toward paying off debt and the majority of the remaining funds would be used for the Dodgers.

One of two scenarios will come first.

MLB doesn't approve the TV deal, MLB will finish it's investigation, Frank will undoubtedly miss payroll and bingo, Frank is out the door.

Secondly, the team will be declared community property during the AUG4th trial and will be divided up and sold by the court.

Either way... Tick Tock... Frank's days are severely numbered

[Shoto]

So Frankie and Jamie graduated from the 6th grade all the way up to the 7th grade, then? Next thing you know, they'll be sharing graham crackers together. Sorta brings a tear to your eye, don't it?

[emenot]

Don't get hitch if you are rich! Renting is cheaper than owning...