Major League Baseball seizes control of the LA Dodgers

[marmar]

By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer – 20 mins ago


NEW YORK – Major League Baseball is taking the extraordinary and historic step of assuming control of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team increasingly paralyzed by its owners' bitter divorce.

Once among baseball's glamour franchises, the Dodgers have been consumed by infighting since Jamie McCourt filed for divorce after 30 years of marriage in October 2009, one week after her husband fired her as the team's chief executive. Frank McCourt accused Jamie of having an affair with her bodyguard-driver and performing poorly at work.

Selig told Frank McCourt he will appoint a trustee to oversee all aspects of the business and the day-to-day operations of the club. Frank McCourt, however, has retained Sullivan & Cromwell and was preparing to sue MLB, a baseball executive familiar with the situation told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because McCourt had not made any statements.

"I have taken this action because of my deep concerns regarding the finances and operations of the Dodgers and to protect the best interests of the club," Selig said Wednesday in a statement. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110420/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbo_mlb_dodgers

[gratuitous]

1. God bless MLB's antitrust exemption

Any other business would just fail, but the magic of the free markets will keep this franchise alive.

[Drale]

2. I'm guessing your not a sports fan?

If they where not allowed to be a single entity there would be no professional sports and a lot of people would lose a lot of joy. Could the MLB be run better yes, but under the current conditions I'll take it.

About the Post: I'm glad the McCourt's are a joke and have made the Dodgers a joke.

[gratuitous]

3. I know nothing about MLB

That's right, I'm a Royals fan.

[JonLP24]

4. OK.. let me try this again

Royals are doing alright so far but there is still a long way to go. Alex Gordon is having a breakout year.

Edit-I confused Gordon with DeJesus for some reason I can't figure out.

[Recursion]

15. It's the O's year...

... we keep saying. Every year...

[madinmaryland]

18. I wish MLB would take over the management of the Pittsburgh Pirates!

PLEASE!!!!!

[Drale]

19. I agree

The Pirates owners have turned that historic team into the joke of all proffesional sports.

[Angry Dragon]

7. And not having professional sports would be a bad thing??

[blondeatlast]

12. Yes. Watching sports can be quite entertaining for some people.

that's a problem in your view?

[Angry Dragon]

13. As long as you asked

I have nothing against sports.

I have a great deal against professional sports. It is another symptom of the society that we have today.
If professional sports were gone I do not believe anything negative would happen. I believe professional sports have gotten out of hand in their salaries, the influence they have had on college, the cost to consumers.

[Johonny]

9. MLB as a business isn't failing

thus they have the money to save the Dodgers from a truly horrible "owner". I think the move points out that each franchise in most sports doesn't really act like a small business in competition with other franchises in the sport. MLB is one big business in competition with NBA, NFL... The "owners" are more like a board of executives with the commissionaire more than ever their CEO.

The big argument about Selig is that he has been truly horrible at allowing truly putrid people buy franchises. Almost like he was more interested in finding people that went along than people interested in building up the sport. Thus many franchises seem trapped in forever loops of carpetbag owners, while the Mark Cubans (people known to spend money) are kept out.

[Angry Dragon]

5. 'to protect the best interests of the club' ...... BULL

It is to protect the League,

[Initech]

6. No - it's to protect the OWNERS of the league.

[Angry Dragon]

8. That is what I meant .......... just used different words

:hi:

[Recursion]

17. You can't have a club without a league (nt)

[rufus dog]

10. As a Giants fan - SUCK ON IT DOGGERS!

Good move though, that guy was a joke of an owner and you deserve better.

Signed Rufus Dog, fan of the 2010 World Series Champion Giants!

[Upton]

11. +1988

[rufus dog]

14. 1988 - now that is funny!

:toast:

[Recursion]

16. Bwah

:spray:

[n2doc]

21. Yeah, as a Giants fan I was hoping the "drama " would keep going for a few more years n/t

[Fuzz]

20. How did Michigan's governor get control over MLB?

[vssmith]

22. Send them back to Brooklyn where they really belong