Amid divorce, Frank McCourt gives more than $1 million worth of Dodger tickets to LAPD officers

These are tough times for Dodgers owner Frank McCourt.

He’s embroiled in a multimillion-dollar divorce proceeding with his estranged wife, Jamie. He’s low on cash, according to one of his court filings. His stewardship of the team is constantly under scrutiny.

But when McCourt stepped to the stage at a gala this week to accept an award from the Los Angeles Police Protective League’s charitable arm, the Eagle & Badge Foundation, he decided to give away one of the few things he has a lot of these days -- Dodgers tickets.

As a tribute to LAPD officers, he promised to give the 10,000 men and women of the police force vouchers for four tickets apiece. That’s 40,000 tickets. On Wednesday, the Police Protective League sent their members e-mails telling them that McCourt had come through with his offer and that everyone was entitled to four tickets on the Loge or Reserve level for games on Sept. 17, 18, 19 or Oct. 1, 2, or 3.

That’s about $1.25 million to $1.5 million worth of tickets, said Josh Rawitch, the Dodgers' vice president of communications.

“This is certainly one of the largest charitable donations made to a single organization by the Dodgers in recent memory,” Rawitch said.

(Asked whether McCourt and the Dodgers could afford it, Rawitch replied, “Yes, of course.”)

“It caught me off guard, I can tell you that,” said Paul Weber, president of the Protective League who said that McCourt never mentioned before the gala -- held at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel -- that he planned to make the contribution. McCourt -- who was honored for community work along with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Sheriff Lee Baca -- apparently put aside his prepared remarks, Weber recalled.

“He said he just wanted to address us from the heart .... People were really touched by him reaching out to rank-and-file police officers in the city and showing his appreciation.” The Dodgers did not put out a news release about the ticket giveaway; the information came from the Protective League.

Weber, a police sergeant, noted that officers know a thing or two about what McCourt is going through. “Police officers go through divorces, too, at a fairly high rate.”

-- Carla Hall

Photo: Frank McCourt. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Crazy Horse]

McCourt's a good guy for taking care of the LAPD. Many people these days don't have that wisdom or fortitude. They'd rather stand back, enjoy hindsight, and point fingers. Way to go, Frank!

[jc]

And why should'nt he. They are all Heros right?

[Dario Lomeli]

He gave them $1, 500,000 "worth of" tickets that were not gonna sell.

This guy is a great businessman, TERRIBLE owner but a great businessman.

[Grandpa]

Probably the best $1 million McCourt ever spent, considering the status of his team.

[upwinger]

What a jerk! Why didn't he give the tickets to people who couldn't afford to buy them?

[Team Jaime]

Give me a break. 40,000 free tickets adds up to additional parking money and concession money. Don't get the "largest charitable donation" twisted.

[Tony B]

Those tickets would've gone unsold. Instead, McCourt is giving himself a tax write-off.

[yikes!]

Did he include parking and food?

If not, he gave away nothing. The whole dodger economic model is based on cheap tickets and gouging for everything else.

[Uno Say]

trying to buy a little pr to boost the sob's image?

[Go Bruins Go 2010]

I have to say good job Frank. Thumbs up to the men and women in the LAPD.

[Truthclaw]

Three words: Tax write off.

[what]

LAPD officers are overpaid. They deserve free nothing.

[G Money]

What a GIFT!! Dodgers are not making the playoffs, there games will be meaningless on those dates. Hardly no one will even be at the games!!! He should have gave them front row seats.

[nedisfrankspuppet]

The police union honors Frank for no reason.

Frank gives back tickets in return that have no value.

Mutual admiration society.

[McCourtnot]

Completely agree w/ Dario and Team Jaime. McCourt is a very smart business guy. Those tickets weren't going to sell anyway. They've been lucky the past two years in making the playoffs but this year all the penny pinching has finally caught up with them. Getting people into the Stadium to spend money on expensive parking and food was the motive, not charitable intentions... if he wants to be so charitable, give FREE PARKING AND FOOD VOUCHERS TOO. McCourt gets a very high percentage of the food revenue so giving away tickets that would not of sold is actually making him a lot of money... likely to pay for his lawyers.

It frustrates me that people are "fooled" into believing that McCourt does things for the well being of others. Lets get it straight, he is a sewrd businessman and his actions are intended to benefit him, and this was a very well calculated business move. Use it as PR when in fact he isn't doing anyone any favors... he's just getting his pockets fatter in food and parking revenue while making his attendance numbers look better thus enhancing the value of the Dodgers.

It's insulting that Josh Rawitch plays with the facts to make McCourt something he is not. 40,000 tickets worth 1.25 - 1.5 million??? Worth that much to whom? 40,000 pieces of trash paper is worth what it can get as a recycled paper... give 1.25 - 1.5 million in real value, like food vouchers and parking.

[skyharbor]

How does the biggest liar and thief in Los Angeles come to be honored by the LAPD. If these tickets were worth 1.25 million to $1.5 million they would have been sold for 1.25 million to $1.5 million. Anyone paying attention knows the Dodgers have tried unsuccessfully to sell some of these tickets for $5 a piece. Smartly McCourt gave these tickets to those who can pay for parking and beer and hot dogs thereby generating hundreds of thousand of dollars of revenue (maybe $1.25 million). Would not have been very smart of McCourt to give the tickets to 40,000 men and women and children who can never afford to go to a Dodger game and who can't afford the parking and the hot dogs and are not old enough to drink beer. It is no surprise the Dodgers did not put out a press release trumpeting such a self serving sophomoric promotional gimmick. McCourt has repeatedly proven you can fool some of the people some of the time but our balding munchkin of a baseball owner is about to find that divorce court judges are not easily (if ever) fooled.

[Steve Williams]

I have been with the LAPD for 28 years!!! We have great jobs that pay great, why the hell do we need free basball tickets, give them to some poor kids that have never been to a ball game. Geez!! What are we thinking?

[Phillip]

Nice PR move Frank, but I still want you to sell the team. Oh and I'm sure you'll make up the difference in parking fees.

[Rob]

that's a lot of dodger dogs.

[Mark Spiegelman]

I have worked in law enforcement my whole life, retired now with a great pension, I live a good life, and am very comfortable, I don't need Dodger tickets...but I'll take 'em!

[Dollar Bill]

Good, from what I'm told Dodger stadium can use more security..............

[Christopher Golden]

My hats off to Steve Williams, they make plenty of money to afford purchasing the tickets. And it is a business move by Frank in order to make more money. We also might want to think how it might help him if he was ever to get pulled over by the LAPD, do you think he would be issued a citation, of coarse not,he's Frank the man that gives LAPD free tickets. GIVE THE TICKETS TO UNDERPRIVLEGED KIDS .

[Sam]

Give the tickets to inner city kids so Dodger Stadium could be tagged from top to bottom.

Free tickets= $$$ in parking, food, and souveniers.

[u know]

I guess bribing the mayor wasn't enough, now he is bribing the whole police department. What do you think what will happen next time a cop pulls over McCourt??? Same thing that will happen next time the Dodgers have to do business with the city. Talk about quid pro quo!

[Mary]

The LAPD should not be accepting free tickets to baseball games from Frank McCourt, there could be a conflict of interest in the future. Suppose they catch him, a member of his family or an executive in the organization drunk driving, are they going to give them a free pass too? LAPD is wrong, wrong, wrong for accepting these tickets and the chief of police should be held accountable.