MLB just took control of the Dodgers

[oddball]

No, the McCourts did not care about the team or the fans, because it was about them getting face time and becoming popular. The McCourts were out for themselves to try and be Hollywood stars. Then again, I along with many people wonder why they were even allowed to buy the team when they had to borrow $145 million to purchase the team. The McCourts are just like Bruce McNall, they put themselves in the public eye as good people, while in the back they were cheats and embarrassing the team and the sport.

[IceCap]

UH OH

here: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/04/20/breaking-mlb-to-take-over-the-dodgers-financial-operations/

No, you've got it all wrong MLB! You're supposed to do the opposite of what the NHL does! The opposite!

In a related development, Glendale mayor Elaine Scruggs has just announced a proposal to sell $850 million in municipal bonds to convert Camelback Ranch into a full-season, 58,000-seat baseball stadium.

Dang it! Not while I'm drinking pop!

[BigMac12]

In a related development, Glendale mayor Elaine Scruggs has just announced a proposal to sell $850 million in municipal bonds to convert Camelback Ranch into a full-season, 58,000-seat baseball stadium.

(Sarcasm)It better have a retractable roof, or nobody will come in June-September.(/sarcasm)

[Sodboy13]

In a related development, Glendale mayor Elaine Scruggs has just announced a proposal to sell $850 million in municipal bonds to convert Camelback Ranch into a full-season, 58,000-seat baseball stadium.

(Sarcasm)It better have a retractable roof, or nobody will come in June-September.(/sarcasm)

Whoops, make that $970 million.

[dfwabel]

No, the McCourts did not care about the team or the fans, because it was about them getting face time and becoming popular. The McCourts were out for themselves to try and be Hollywood stars. Then again, I along with many people wonder why they were even allowed to buy the team when they had to borrow $145 million to purchase the team. The McCourts are just like Bruce McNall, they put themselves in the public eye as good people, while in the back they were cheats and embarrassing the team and the sport.

This is not like a person who owns a plumbing business in Rockford, IL is going to buy a major franchise. Prior to the divorce, the McCourts provided MLB the finances which proved to them that they had the money to buy a team and operate it. Even fans cannot have the expectation that someone with a net worth of say, $250M cannot buy a team. You are acting as if a corporation does not own a team, the next owner must pay cash and hold no debt on either the team or a facility.

As I have said in other threads before, outside of Jerry Jones, the wealthy do not become so by spending a majority of their personal wealth. They use the money others at a low interest rate, which they know they can (generally) pay back to buy the team since they possess legitimate collateral. This is not like four friends going with each other to buy the local bar...it is much, much larger than that.

[The_Admiral]

This is not like a person who owns a plumbing business in Rockford, IL is going to buy a major franchise.

Haha, as if anybody in Rockford owns a business.

[Mac the Knife]

For those keeping score at home, Bud today exercised Article II, Section 3© of the Major League Constitution, which reads that "In the case of conduct by Major League Clubs, owners, officers, employees or players that is deemed by the Commissioner not to be in the best interests of Baseball, punitive action by the Commissioner for each offense may include any one or more of the following... © suspension or removal of any owner, officer or employee of a Major League Club.

MLB has, however, violated its own constitution twice in the past few years. The bankruptcy declarations of both the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers should have, under Article VIII, Section 4(l), had their respective franchises immediately terminated.

[Gothamite]

MLB has, however, violated its own constitution twice in the past few years. The bankruptcy declarations of both the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers should have, under Article VIII, Section 4(l), had their respective franchises immediately terminated.

What Consitution do you have? I'm looking at the 2005 Amended (dated 03/08), and Article VIII, Section 4 says:

Sec. 4. Involuntary Termination. The rights, privileges and other property rights of a Major League Club hereunder and under any other Baseball-related agreement may be terminated (i) in the event of contraction, pursuant to Article V, Section 2 ( (1), or (ii) involuntarily, with the approval of three-fourths of all Major League Clubs, if the Club in question shall do or suffer any of the following: (emphasis mine)

Not "must be immediately terminated," but "may be terminated," and then only with a three-fourths vote of all owners. Which wasn't going to come in either case, especially since both bankruptcy filings were part of corporate re-organizations designed to facilitate the sale of the clubs to new owners already approved by MLB.

As far as the Mets go, the situations are simply not analogous. I would love for MLB to boot the Wilpons out. Based on their actions, I am convinced that the Wilpons were aware that Madoff's dealings were shady at best. And when the trustee gets done with them, they'll have to sell the team. Scumbags, all.

But the McCourts' case is special. They are accused of financial misdealings with Dodger money. Not their personal money, not the money of others, but club money. They reportedly gave their kids no-show jobs with the club (at $600,000 apiece!). They've been pocketing club money. Now the final straw comes as McCourt is trying to borrow money from Fox to cover payroll. MLB shot down his original proposal, so McCourt secretly worked out a deal where Fox would loan him the money personally.

When the Wilpons are accused of improprieties with Mets money, then MLB should step in. Until then, Selig should just let Picard go after them while he starts vetting potential new owners.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I just think it's pretty cool of MLB to insert the smiley shades guy in its Constitution.

Our own US Constitution could benefit from some heart-dotted I's or bunny exclamation points.

[Gothamite]

Hey, Bud's a man of the people.

That should, of course, be "pursuant to Article V, Section 2 ( B ) (1),". I was going to change it, but you had already helpfully pointed out that even though I had edited my post to add more musings, I obviously hadn't proofread it.

[omnivore]

Well since the Mets are essentially playing in a replica of Ebbets Field anyway, might as well just the Dodgers to Queens and send the Mets to LA in a swap with a new name.

No, I'm not serious.

[Mac the Knife]

You know, I absolutely misread that. And I pride myself on differentiations such as 'may,' 'shall' and 'must.' I also know that in all other leagues, those are automatic terminations; so I guess I merely lumped them in. My apologies.

[rams80]

You know, I absolutely misread that. And I pride myself on differentiations such as 'may,' 'shall' and 'must.' I also know that in all other leagues, those are automatic terminations; so I guess I merely lumped them in. My apologies.

So why didn't the Coyotes, Sabres, and Senators cease to exist?

[Mac the Knife]

You know, I absolutely misread that. And I pride myself on differentiations such as 'may,' 'shall' and 'must.' I also know that in all other leagues, those are automatic terminations; so I guess I merely lumped them in. My apologies.

So why didn't the Coyotes, Sabres, and Senators cease to exist?

You'll need to ask the NHL that.

[pmoehrin]

I just like all the dirt that's starting to come out about the McCourts financial dealings with the Dodgers.

Tax evasion, accusations of nepotisim, establishing charities that aren't really charities.

I got a feeling this is only going to get uglier as time goes on. The MLB better stop worrying about whether or not the Dodgers books will come out and start worrying about what they will do when they do, because I think its a forgone conclusion that the McCourts are going to be charged with multiple counts of tax evasion and those books will become public.

I don't think the Mets are that far off either. Citi Field was empty for a Sunday Afternoon game. I that ain't a reg flag for how bad things have gotten in Queens, I don't know what is. The Mets fanbase has just been completely turned off by the whole affair with the Wilpons and Madoff. I can't see the MLB just letting that slide for much longer. The Wilpons are eventually going to have to sell the team.

[NJTank]

The Mets have had the worst thing possible happen with their fans apathy.

In 2006 we were disappointed after the NLCS

In 2007 we were angry at the collapse

In 2008 we were heartbroken at how Shea Stadium went out

In 2009 we were disgusted at how Citi Field ignored Mets history, and how the team stunk it up

In 2010 we were just tired of it all

In 2011 the fan base has just become apathetic at the Madoff news.

[Lee.]

Everything doesn't have to turn into MetsChat, Franklin. Let it go. Go be a Phillies fan for awhile.

[MadmanLA]

Commissioner Selig has selected Tom Schieffer, an one-time president of the Texas Rangers during the George W. Bush ownership, to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Dodgers.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/2011/04/dodgers-trustee-selig-frank-mccourt-.html

[STL FANATIC]

Can we talk about this--why the hell does nobody go to Dodgers games?

This ownership situation has nothing to do with fan support, but that's an issue to. I don't know if they're selling seats or not, but that stadium is EMPTY. The Dodgers are a pretty good team, and they've had some decent opponents, and people are not showing up. And it's not the come in the third, leave in the 7th, thing either. They're just not coming at all.

Hell, Kareem Abdul-Jabar was at the game the other day, and the Dodgers couldn't even find one of their own employees to sit with him. There wasn't another person within 20 seats of him.

I've always thought Dodger Stadium would be a great place to watch a ballgame, right now I think the lack of energy in the stadium would kill the experience.

[pmoehrin]

Can we talk about this--why the hell does nobody go to Dodgers games?

This ownership situation has nothing to do with fan support, but that's an issue to.

The ownership situation had everything to do with the lack of recent fan support. The Dodgers sold half of their season tickets from last year. As time goes on I think the fans will start coming back, but the McCourts completely alienated Dodger fans this offseason.

Ask the city of Charlotte about bad ownership driving away fans. The Hornets could barely even fill half the arena for a second round playoff series the last year they were in Charlotte.

People tend to get very apathetic towards a team if they do not like the owner(s). In the Dodgers case the attitude was/is I'm not spending my money just so you can turn around and use it to keep yourself from going bankrupt.