Baseball Commissioner Mulls Possible Use of Contractual Powers to Force Dodgers Sale
It may no longer be Frank McCourt’s ex-wife Jamie who poses the biggest threat to his continued ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Baseball commission Bud Selig not only plans to appoint an individual to oversee the team’s operations but, according to unidentified sources, may use his power to protect the “best interests of baseball” to force the sale of the team, reports the New York Times.
The team has over $400 million in debt, even as McCourt and his wife took nearly $110 million in personal distributions from it over a five-year period between 2004 and 2009.
In addition to a messy divorce in which she is claiming a share of the team ownership rights, the severe beating of a San Francisco Giants fan outside the Dodgers stadium earlier this month has raised questions about whether Frank McCourt’s has been investing enough in upkeep and security for the ballpark, the newspaper says.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Dodgers Owner Loses Round in Divorce Battle as Judge Rules His Wife Is a Co-Owner of the Team”
ABAJournal.com: “Bingham Seeks Court Ruling That Firm Met Its Obligations to Ex-Client, LA Dodgers Owner McCourt”
