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DODGERS-FOX SIGN PURCHASE AGREEMENT; GRAZIANO NAMED TEAM CEO

          The Dodgers and News Corp.'s Fox group received
     permission from MLB's Ownership Committee yesterday to sign
     the purchase agreement, and both parties have done so.  The
     agreement is subject to approval by MLB owners, and is
     scheduled to be an agenda item at the owners' meeting next
     week in St. Petersburg, FL.  Upon completion of the sale to
     the Fox group, the Dodgers also announced that Exec VP Bob
     Graziano will be named Dodger President & CEO, and current
     President Peter O'Malley will become Chairman of the Board.
     Graziano will report to the Fox group, while O'Malley will
     report to the Board of Directors (Dodgers).  
          DETAILS: In L.A., Newhan & Hiltzik place the deal,
     which includes the Dodgers, Dodger Stadium, the team's
     Dodgertown spring training facility and its facility in the
     Dominican Republic, at "roughly" $311M.  They add that Fox
     and News Corp. agreed to "comply" with MLB rules that say
     the commissioner's office will oversee a team's marketing
     potential in Asia and other overseas markets.  Fox is also
     "under no obligation to sell any part of its interest" in
     the Dodgers to TCI's Liberty Media.  While "the extent of
     Graziano's authority remains unclear," O'Malley said his
     commitment to serve as team Chair extended only to the end
     of the year.  Newhan & Hiltzik: "Signs are that his role
     will chiefly be to give the team an aura of leadership
     continuity during the transitional period" (L.A. TIMES,
     3/13).  Also in L.A., Jason Reid reports that the O'Malley
     announcement caught Dodgers employees "by surprise.  They
     had thought nothing would occur until the owners voted on
     the sale" during next week's meeting's (L.A. TIMES, 3/13). 
     USA TODAY's Hal Bodley reports that with News Corp. CEO
     Rupert Murdoch creating "his management team" in L.A., the
     Dodgers sale "isn't in danger" (USA TODAY, 3/13).  
          NO ACTION ON HICKS: The pending sale of the MLB Rangers
     to Tom Hicks will not be voted on during next week's owners'
     meeting.  Rangers President Tom Schieffer: "There are a lot
     of issues for them to deal with, and that takes time.  The
     process is going well" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/13).
 

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