Statement from Frank McCourt's attorney regarding rejection of Dodgers deal with Fox Sports

Statement from Frank McCourt's attorney, Steve Susman:

“We are extremely disappointed with the Commissioner’s rejection of the proposed FOX transaction which would inject $235 million into the Los Angeles Dodgers.  As Commissioner Selig well knows, this transaction would make the Dodgers financially secure for the long term and one of the best capitalized teams in Major League Baseball.
 
“For  weeks Major League Baseball  has consistently made public pronouncements asserting that Jamie McCourt’s agreement of the Fox transaction also was needed; that the Court adjudicating the McCourt divorce grant its approval of the transaction; and the Dodger organization provide all data requested by Major League Baseball to satisfy the so-called investigation ordered by  Commissioner Selig last April – the latter also being the excuse he gave at that time  for delaying his approval of the proposed FOX transaction.

“All the requirements for the Commissioner to approve the FOX transaction were put in place by last Friday: Frank and Jamie McCourt entered into an agreement based on the proposed transaction; the Court ordered, among other things, that the FOX transaction is 'in the best interest of the Los Angeles Dodgers and should be consummated immediately;' and all information requested by Major League Baseball under its so-called investigation has been provided by the Dodgers. 
 
“Commissioner Selig’s letter of rejection is not only a disappointment, but worse, is potentially destructive to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Major League Baseball.  Accordingly, we plan to explore vigorously our options and remedies with respect to Commissioner Selig’s rejection of the proposed FOX transaction and our commitment to protect the long-term best interests of the Los Angeles Dodgers.” 

RELATED:

MLB rejects deal between Dodgers and Fox Sports

MLB statement on Dodgers-Fox deal

Frank and Jamie McCourt talk Dodgers future, divorce settlement

PHOTOS: The Dodgers and the McCourts

-- Bill Shaikin

Photo: Frank McCourt. Credit: Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press

 

Comments

[campc4]

Just go away you piece of trash. you have done enough to OUR team. Don't you get it!? WE all hate you and wish to never see your slime ball face at OUR stadium again. PLEASE just go the heck away!

[Rob McMillin]

The hilarious part about this is Frank's insistence that this deal would make the team "financially secure for the long term and one of the best capitalized teams in Major League Baseball." In fact, this is a conflation of equity and cash on hand which ignores the reality of his continued looting of the team to pay himself to get out from under his divorce. This comes at the expense of future revenue, forecloses on the possibility of an own-network (as the Lakers lately pulled off with Time-Warner), and drains the team's coffers in the future to make a big payout now. If there is a clearer example of why Frank needs to be kicked out from owning the Dodgers, it has yet to appear.

Unfortunately, Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports is reporting that Frank's structuring of the parking lots and stadium itself is liable to put a moat around the team that will discourage other ownership groups from buying the team. It's not enough to boot Frank from the Dodgers; he must be expelled from the team's other (former) assets, too.

[xjt]

You suck, Franky. The whole of L.A. Dodger fandom despises your ugly, greedy butt. You've wasted an entire year of our time with this circus. Go back to Boston and your cheesy parking lots. You have no class.

[KIPPIE]

FRANKY MCCROOK IS THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE THING TO THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS. GET OUT OF L.A., YOU LITIGIOUS, NARCISSISTIC PSYCHOPATH. WHAT PART OF "YOU SUCK"DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? WE WANT OUR TEAM BACK!

[Arthur Marx]

Unless you are Peter O'Malley, Terry Seidler or Rupert Murdoch, the Dodgers were never "your" team.

[Dodger BooHoo]

...to protect the long-term best interests of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Frank, your exit is requested.

[ryan]

yes, it would put several hundred million dollars into the dodgers, but much of it would be used to pay down the staggering amount of debt mccourt dumped on the team and a third of the up front payment would be to pay for the divorce.

yes, the dodgers would be well capitalized in the short term, but at the expense of a long term financial solution that was negotiated with no leverage whatsoever and seems to be below market and over-valued by mccourt.

and yes, this could put the dodgers in turmoil in the short term, but if mccourt cared at all about the dodgers and the fans and the best interest of both, he wouldve been gone long ago before he used the team as his personal credit card to finance a lifestyle he never deserved.

the city is fed up, its time to pack your bags and GTFO

[Kelly Dean]

I wonder if Steve Susman is only saying this becuase now he can't get paid.

[mike]

Lets be clear, this deal is not in the interest of the team. It is in the best interest of Frank and Jamie. It allows him to in sense leverage the team to achieve this TV deal which will in turn settle the divorce with a ~$173 mil check. If you essentially look at that as lost team revenue, there is no way this deal is in the interest of the team or MLB.

[gassell7]

Proud of you, Bud Selig. You did the right thing, and we love you for it. There's a new Sheriff in town!

[tim mosa]

bye bye frank. we won't miss you at all.

[JimH]

I wonder why this McCourt slimeball attorney didn't address the biggest question. The fact that in April, Frank promised that all the upfront money would be going toward the team and none of it would be used to finance his own interests. Clearly a bold faced lie as per the settlement, a huge chunk of the 385M goes to pay for the divorce and to the McCourts and their lawyers.

[Mr. Scott]

McCourt has a concern over the "long-term best interests of the Los Angeles Dodgers"? Easily remedied. Take a hike, Frank.

[santamoniker]

No one left to screw, Frankie boy? See ya!

[dodger_therapy (at twitter)]

Best long-term interests of the Dodgers? How about best short-term interests of McCourt? No thanks, get lost.

[Pete]

Do the right thing and sell the team Frank. Quit pillaging the Dodgers' assets of all their value and get out of town ASAP!!!

[Dodger Fan]

Yeah, and take your scuzzy ex-wife with you. Give the Dodgers Franchise to someone who actually cares about the team and the fans.

[Josh Sloan]

The long term best interests of the Dodgers would be for an owner who actually has cash to buy the team. Not someone who only has paper assets but cannot afford the day to day ownership responsibilities and cash flow issues of MLB ownership.

[Gabriel]

You ever see the Mervyns commercial with the customers waiting outside the store saying "Open, Open, Open". Well that's all the Dodgers fans waiting to see how all this folds out saying to the McCourts, "GO AWAY, GO AWAY, GO AWAY"!!!!!!! NOBODY WANTS YOU HERE AND YOU ARE A CANCER FOR THE DODGERS OR ANYTHING ELSE BRANDED WITH THE GREAT NAME "LOS ANGELES". WHY DON'T YOU READ ONE OF DR. BUSSES BOOKS TO SEE HOW A REAL OWNER DOES IT!!

[John C]

Uhhhhh....lawyer dude....the only thing MLB has said over and over publicly was that the money couldn't be funneled to the McCourt divorce payoff. Your deal doesn't conform to that requirement. I hope you got paid up front because you're not that good

[Tim]

McCourt's attorney: "blah, blah, blah... this is potentially destructive to the Los Angeles Dodgers... blah, blah, blah."

Seriously dude? The hot shot lawyer paid some high-priced Beverly Hills P.R. exec to write that line and you seriously went ahead and said it? News flash: Your client's "ownership" (using that term lightly since they're owned by your client's creditors) of the Dodgers has already left the Dodgers in shambles. It is your client's continued "ownership" that will spell total destruction to the team.

As much as it pains us, Dodgers' fans should continue boycotting the team until MLB takes out the trash.

[santuri1]

Thank you Commissioner Selig, you truly did the right thing! We(Dodger fans) are forever grateful for your action today! We are all behind you 100%, if theres anything we(the fans) can do to support you in your(our) endeavour, please let us know....

[Mac]

Such nonsense to say that Selig's actions are "destructive" to the Dodgers, when any reasonably minded person can see they are not. The Dodgers are in debt to the tune of nearly half a billion dollars; and growing further in debt with each passing payroll. The Fox TV deal would have given them an infusion of cash, yes. But the deal prevents the Dodgers from forming their own TV network, which most, if not all big market teams already have. Essentially, this money from Fox would simply give Frank the money needed to operate the team for a few years, while paying down some of the existing debts. And, considering that it was Frank's inept management that got the Dodgers into this mess in the first place, it is indeed a VERY good thing these Fox monies are not being allowed anywhere near him.

Thank you Mr. Selig.

[vtadave]

See thing is Frank - this deal is NOT in the best interests of the Dodgers. By all accounts, it is a below-market deal designed to inject more cash into your personal coffers and pay your millions in attorneys fees.

Absolutely nobody here wants you around. Please look up the term "self-delusional" and just go away. Let MLB sell the team who will treat it with the tradition that it deserves, something that you failed miserably at sir.

[L.M]

He's not going away that easy. The lawsuit will be filed in court within the next few days. He doesn't care what's best for the fans. Look at that less than half filled stadium. Why people still go is beyond me. The product is bad, the ownership is trash, the hotdogs are mushy, the food lines are still terrible and the parking is still overpriced. The last game I went to I spent $2 per ticket on Stub Hub. I ate at Phillipes to make sure I didn't give Skank McCourt a nickle and I parked down the hill and walked past parking gate Skank, you have killed this franchise. Killed it beyond belief. I will NEVER walk in the place again as long as u are still around you piece of crap!

[Jesup11]

Ha.

Stupid McCourt. You are part of a franchise and the Commish has dictatorial powers. Go ahead and sue. You will loose.

And, you are probably dumb enough to believe what your attorneys are telling you.

[OldBrooklynFan]

Will Frank sue?

[Wes]

McDork now needs to move to Plan B. He has a book waiting in the wings to be published, "The Mendacity of Hope." The book deal will provide the cash infusion McDork needs to hang on to the Dodgers. The book launching will coincide with a book signing tour. The tour is being arranged by the people behind Charlie Sheens' recent tour. There will be guest appearances by the Goverator Arnold., who also has a book ready to launch, "The Mendacity of Grope." Also, appearing will be Anthony Weiner who has trademarked the catch phrase for the tour, "Weiner, Duh..." Tickets are on sale now. Bobbleheads for all three action heroes will be available for the first 1000 chumps.

[16blows]

Tis not ended; alas and no, the fight has just begun... if Frank does go tho, send those deux prima donnas - slappy 'e' & chest-thumper 'k'emp - along with him.

TEAM FIRST, and TEAM PLAYERS same!

[Jerry Kurtz - Duluth, Ga]

Frank.... NOBODY WANTS YOU!!!! Are you so dumb that you cannot see the empty seats?? That is not because of a losing team... The Dodgers have had losing teams and still draw 3mill...... It's a statement being made against YOU !!!

[jim McVeigh]

Doesn`t frankie`s attorney have an ambulance to chase into some parking lot in BOSTON. JUST GO AWAY AND QUIT FLEECING YOUR CLIENT! JUST QUIT KEEPING HIM PUMPED UP AN TELL HIM THE TRUTH. Which is : HE HIRED A LOSER AN HE IS A LOSER! AND HE MADE THE DODGERS` LOSERS!!! LEAVE, VAMOOSE, SPLIT. OR JUST BURN UP THE PAVEMENT!!!!

[Tom Vasich]

“Commissioner Selig’s letter of rejection is not only a disappointment, but worse, is potentially destructive to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Major League Baseball." This clown is kidding, right? Destructive, how? It's a terrible deal for the Dodgers. Whatever short-term gain is negated by long-term losses. Giving Frank enough cash now will only make the disaster greater in the following years. He has no business owning the Dodgers any longer.

[campc4]

Arthur Marx,

have a nice day!

[fbmvp1]

"Destructive to the Dodgers and MLB" - ha. Mr. Susman - please get your client out of Los Angeles and away from the Dodgers. Let me guess -- you are filing McCourt's lawsuit against MLB before the end of the week. You're no better than your client. Two big losers.

[No More Money]

Turn out the Lights, McCourt's...the party's over. You have ruined what marital relationship you had, you ruined any relationship you had with Dodger fans, you have ruined any relationship for your sons in LA. It is over. It is done. Sell your stuff and get out. You thought you could come here and use LA for your benefit...well, we are hip to your game, and we are done.

LA may welcome kooks, freaks, and wierdo's but you messed with our Dodgers...get out, and don't come back.

[Tom1201]

The ignorance of all the haters. Like him or not, McCourt complied with their requirements and Selig stole it anyway. Every single commenter would be CRYING FOUL if some entity stole THEIR business. The absurd comments that this is OUR team and OUR stadium is mindboggling. I'm guessing these people are ENTITLED to see the Dodgers owned by someone else. Then again, this is liberal LA...

[Mulholland]

The following is a statement just released by the fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers:

GTFO Frank and Jamie McCourt!!!

[alanw19]

go away frank. Just go away.

by the way, re: Craig Calcaterra - he needs to get up to date. LAT has already reported, days or weeks ago, it all goes with the team - parking lot, stadium, urinals, the whole diddy.

Real question tonight is how dumb is Frank (ya'll settle down, that was kind of rhetorical).

Realistic or unrealistic as he may choose, he had to know this was the likely answer coming forth, if not by today then certainly soon. He knows the looming dates coming, too - like payroll June 30. Or, another court motion from Jamie - remember, she agreed to drop the request for immediate sale (June 22 court date) in exchange for last Friday's agreement. Well, she's not likely to just sit and wait, lest she believes and knows that Frank can't meet June 30 payroll and awaits MLB to hand over her proceeds from a sale. Or, a move from MLB before the June 30 payroll is not met. Remember, Selig surely has 29 owners in tow. And where's Clyde Torkel and why has he been so quiet lately - anteing up some money to help frank meet payroll on the quiet?

Hard for me to believe it'll be quiet with no shots over the bow before June 30 arrives. So who'll it be with the next shot? Frank with a suit against the commish or baseball? That's grounds to be stripped of the team immediately - he signed that. Jamie? Not sure. And where's that limo driver these days? MLB? Well, me thinks they just might turn proactive now that Frank has shown his greedy hands groping for $173M of the money he wasn't going to use for anything other than the Dodgers.

Amid it all, thanks to the LAT and the press for staying on this scoundrel. Just don't think we would be at this point without the LAT.

[tede]

Sorry Frank. Now you can not suck any more money out of the Dodgers like a parasite from this Fox T.V. deal. Remember you still have two more years on your T.V. contract with Fox. Oh that's right you already spent the millions of dollars from that contract. I guess it is time for you to go back to Boston and stay there. Bye.

[Hal Hefner]

I think we should all join forces and sue Frank McCourt for psychological damage in the destruction of our childhood. This guy is a piece of crap and is getting flushed down the toilet into the sewers where he belongs!!!

[Javy from Covina]

This is what happens when you buy a Major League Baseball team with a credit card! Frank is so sleazy I would not be suprised if tomorrows headline reads "Frank & Jamie bury the Hatchet" just to get the T.V. deal thru!

[willb3]

WOW , I love reading the comments, you would think the Dodgers are community property ..lol The same people who are calling Frank McCourt all type of names, are the Wall street types, Mortgage bankers, VP's of major corporations, leaders of the movie industry in LA, who steal from hard working American daily..lol

I hope frank sues MLB, and wins !!

[santuri1]

Go ahead McBroke, try & sue & waste what little $$ you'll have left(after u LOSE) on your attorneys!! What an idiot, good riddance.........

[santuri1]

Hey willb3, u r an idiot!!

[badfinger20]

Tom1201
Some people have the misconception that this is a solitary business...its NOT.
This is a franchise NOT a local business... If this were a McDonalds it WOULD be taken away in a heartbeat. He is devaluing every other FRANCHISE of MLB not to mention the Dodgers that are so far in debt it is incredible. The TV contract in very undervalued.
They were not the only "requirments" laid down by the way...one was all of the up front money would go to the Dodgers NOT lawyers, Jamie and him. Frarnk said in May that all of the money would go to the Dodgers...he lied again. The man is totally grasping at straws and I can't believe some select people are buying his garbage. Is Selig innocent...not a chance...he should have yanked him when all this was happening...and he should have never been able to buy the team.

[F-U-frank]

My screen name says it all.

[Rob McMillin]

WRT the assertion that the Dodgers would be sold along with the parking lots and stadium, well, not so fast. The LAT piece by Bill Shaikin specified this would happen IF the team were ruled community property.

http://lat.ms/ivHwkY

There is no mention of what might happen in a forced sale by MLB. Presumably it would require both to make that happen.

[pretzel]

Dodger fans don't want you to have anything to do with the Dodgers McCourt what don't you understand?? Why do you think the stadium is so empty this year?? We're tired of your greed!

[Lane Kiffen]

That was one fun read...

A lawyer drafting a statment about the gross inequity and unfairness of the rejection of a settlement where the same lawyer will get paid first (his share of the 39mil) from future revenues not yet earned.

Sorry SS Esq, I'm just not feeling that bad for you. I suppose you will need the money as you are sure to be sued by Frank at a later date for non performance but I probably wont feel sorry for you then Ethier...

[alanw19]

rob mc, thanks for pointing that out... I stand corrected

perhaps another clarifying Q&A is in order from the LAT crew on just what today's developments truly mean or don't mean.

beat the tiggers! maybe a no-no by kershaw?
those things happen when you least expect it (see navarro, home run)