The "main business" for the new Fox Sports Enterprises
President Rick Welts since arriving in L.A. two weeks ago
"has been the dirty one of fixing Fox's failing baseball
investment," according to Bill Plaschke of the L.A. TIMES,
who called Welts the "New Sheriff." Plaschke: "Everyone on
the Dodgers now ultimately reports to him. This includes
President Bob Graziano, who may not be reporting for long."
Welts: "Initially, I have been spending a great deal of time
with the Dodgers." As the team sits in last place in the NL
West with a 41-49 record, Welts said, "Everybody is
disappointed. Everybody had higher hopes for the
investment." Plaschke wrote that Welts is "not afraid to
talk to the people of Los Angeles," which is "more than you
can say for his superiors." Plaschke noted that Fox Group
CEO Peter Chernin and Fox TV CEO Chase Carey "were either
too busy or frightened to deliver a traditional midseason
message to the hometown fans," and criticized Carey for
taking "softball questions from a wire-service reporter" in
N.Y. Plaschke: "That is why Welts is so refreshing. He was
phoned. He picked up" (L.A. TIMES, 7/17).
