L.A. leaders stunned by Dodgers takeover
Los Angeles leaders said they were stunned by Major League Baseball's decision to take over the finances of the Dodgers.
“It’s not a good day for the Dodgers, and that means it’s not a good day for L.A.” said county Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “It’s rather extraordinary.... I don’t know if it’s deserved, particularly in the way that it’s happened.”
“In terms of the civic health of our region and many of the communities of which the Dodgers have been a part, it’s most unfortunate. This is a brand that is practically inseparable from Los Angeles’ identity,” he added.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has been an occasional presence in the McCourt box during games, declined to comment. But City Controller Wendy Greuel voiced surprise at the day’s events, saying she spoke to the Dodgers’ newly hired vice chairman, Steve Soboroff, earlier in the day and was given no hint that Major League Baseball was about to take action.
“I’m disappointed that the situation has come to this,” Greuel said. “As a lifelong Angeleno and a Dodgers fan, I would hope there would be stability so the Dodgers can focus on winning the World Series.”
Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig announced Wednesday that his office would assume control of the financial operations of the Dodgers. The move comes after Dodgers owner McCourt needed a personal loan from Fox to meet the team's payroll.
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-- David Zahniser
Photo: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, left, talks with Dodgers owner Frank McCourt before opening day at Dodger Stadium. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times
EDITOR'S PICKS:
CLULESS LA POLITICIANS!
Posted by: kuruc | April 20, 2011 at 05:58 PM
First piece of good news to come to this most important franchise in American sport since NewsCorp bought it. Let's hope a worthwhile buyer shows up SOON.
Posted by: JB | April 20, 2011 at 06:00 PM
THIS is a GOOD DAY FOR LA!!! These politicians are silly....
Posted by: Go Dodgers! | April 20, 2011 at 06:02 PM
Too much money spent on mansions and massages - shameful.
Posted by: pogi455 | April 20, 2011 at 06:03 PM
Any time you have to get a $ 30 million dollar loan to meet payroll you have a problem. As for Mark Thomas, it is something he would say, and it is stupid. The Pint Size Mayor or the city council might try to make a no interest loan to Frank.
Posted by: TAM | April 20, 2011 at 06:07 PM
Imagine how the civic so-called leaders would feel if we voted them out of office.
Mccourt is done, short term its gonna suck, long term its gonna be awesome. Go Dodgers!
Posted by: Go_Blue_2011 | April 20, 2011 at 06:07 PM
if nobody remembers to thank the mccourt ownership for replacing all those old rickety seats that o'malley and fox were too cheap to address, i will go contrarian and say it. thank you.
Posted by: thank you | April 20, 2011 at 06:08 PM
The harder they come, the harder they fall, one and all.
Posted by: David | April 20, 2011 at 06:08 PM
If you've been reading about the Dodgers here for the last three weeks, than it's quite apparent that city officials had to cajole McCourt into taking security seriously...AFTER a patron was beaten into a coma on his premises. So yeah, the sooner this guy is heaved back to New England, the better it is for this fine city. And MLB can help itself to some of the blame for the farce this once-proud franchise has become. They let this pseudo-rich idiot into their cartel in the first place. Hopefully they can find a real owner to take over the reins this time, especially considering how the Ravine has been transformed into a cash cow.
Posted by: R Baird | April 20, 2011 at 06:09 PM
The first good move Bud Selig has made in almost 20 years as commissioner.
I'm still not going to Dodger Stadium, though, until these bozos are out the door and gone.
Posted by: Mitch | April 20, 2011 at 06:09 PM
What? Mayor Villain has no comment? When has this clown of a politician not had a comment or turned down a chance for a news photo op? Oh that's right, he's personal friends with Frank and ex-wife Jamie and he needs to decide where his loyalties lie now that the house-of-cards that Frank built has come tumbling down.
The Dodgers ownership situation has been a joke and now we have come full circle. This Bud's for you, Dodger faithful!
As a greedy, conniving politician whose term is soon up, Mayor Villar will not be seen anytime soon smiling for the cameras at Dodger Stadium.
Posted by: Nedisfrankspuppet | April 20, 2011 at 06:14 PM
'Focus on winning the world series'??? Have you been watching the same team I have?
Posted by: Polomoche | April 20, 2011 at 06:15 PM
Anyone who says the MLB taking over the Dodgers is not a good thing for L.A. is stupid. The only people who are not happy are the stupid politicians'. MLB taking over means there is a great possibility that McFraud will have to sell the Dodgers or get foreclosed. Today is a GREAT day for Los Angeles.
Posted by: Philip | April 20, 2011 at 06:16 PM
Mark Ridley-Thomas is an idiot. This is a GREAT day for Los Angeles!
It will be an even better day when Frank McCourt is gone back to Beantown...
... and he can take Mark Ridley-Thomas with him.
Posted by: Bradford Talamon | April 20, 2011 at 06:20 PM
Is it any surprise officials give generic slogan style responses to this action? The Mccourt era has been a bust. And Jamie giving a statement doesn't make a difference. She and her ex husband are both a bust. I'm not about to pay for their divorce. They have embarrassed the city of Los Angeles. Simply disgraceful.
Posted by: Adolfo Mena Gonzalez | April 20, 2011 at 06:20 PM
This is a sad day for the Dodgers, a flag ship franchise for Major League Baseball and one of the most storied team in the history of all sports. This is tantamount to the Lakers being taken over by the NBA; the Yankees being seized by MLB; the Dallas Cowboys or Pittsburg Steelers being taken over by the NFL; or the Detroit Redwings being ran by the NHL. On a positive note, however, this is an historic moment in Los Angeles and all of sports in general. McCourt ran this proud franchise into dismay with greed and incompetence. The cancer has been eliminated. Lets now hope that MLB will due its due diligence and ensure that the teams next owner has deep pockets and is on solid financial footing. In other words, someone with a BOAT LOAD OF CASH! Now, let all Dodger fans rise up and show your support for the Dodgers. Find your way to Dodger Stadium!
Posted by: J. Parker | April 20, 2011 at 06:37 PM
If M.R. Thomas is defending McCrook does make him corrupt or just incompetent?
Posted by: Phillip | April 20, 2011 at 06:44 PM
McCourt is a world-class loser. If he has a shred of decency he would sell the team.
Posted by: Jack | April 20, 2011 at 06:54 PM
This is a Great Day for LA and the Dodgers!!!!
Thank you MLB, the McCrooks are gone and now we can focus on building a quality product that can compete. Oh, did I mention the price of parking, food, and tickets may be returned to their pre-McCrook prices?
Posted by: DodgerFan | April 20, 2011 at 06:57 PM
This is a great day for LA. We are one step closer to ridding the Dodgers of a terrible owner. McCourt can't leave town soon enough, as far as this life-long Dodger fan is concerned!
Posted by: tim mosa | April 20, 2011 at 06:58 PM
What happens to the LA Marathon now?
Posted by: Al | April 20, 2011 at 07:07 PM
This is the best day in Dodger history since I don't know when. It is obvious that Ridley-Thomas and Greuel are out of touch with what has been going on with the Dodgers since the McCourts bought the team. Every fan I have talked with today is elated. Selig's takeover is really the very best thing that could happen to our team. McCourt cannot afford to buy out his es wife and has refused to sell the team. He clearly cannot afford the franchise players that this team and this city deserve. He is now $466 million in debt. He could not provide for the fan's safety. The facts are that he didn't hire a new security chief, a fan almost died because of his cost cutting moves, and he disobeyed Selig's directive not to take on more debt by taking on another loan from Fox has everything to do with today's move. That he hired new vice chairman, Steve Soboroff to help run the team when he clearly knows nothing about baseball shows that its overdue to let a new owner pursue a championship.
Posted by: keith martin | April 20, 2011 at 07:10 PM
These guys are nothing but bunch of frauds. They only bought the team as a cash cow and nothing else. They aren't much different than people taking a loan to refinance their life styles.
Now when will NBA take over the Clippers? That franchise has been a huge disgrace ever since Donald Sterling bought that team. But NBA won't do anything because Stern and Sterling are buddies.
Posted by: Hedo | April 20, 2011 at 07:29 PM
"Was given no hint of the takeover?" Really? This was brought about months ago Ms City Controller. Shows you how much your in tuned with local sports. Stick with trying not run this city into the ground.
Posted by: James Banks | April 20, 2011 at 07:30 PM
Also, the stunning part of all of this that the Dodgers being in the 2nd largest media market can't field a decent team. Since '88, this town has always been the Lakers town. No salary cap, FOX sports to back it up and no championships in over 20 years. Anyone and everyone that is "stunned" by these turn of events are truly got their heads in the sand. Like in the beach....sand!
Posted by: James Banks | April 20, 2011 at 07:33 PM