Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt today continued his offensive against MLB and Commissioner Bud Selig, calling MLB's takeover of the franchise "inappropriate." McCourt, appearing on CNBC's "Squawk Box" this morning, said he is in N.Y. today "for one reason, and that's to finalize a sound, fully vetted, fully negotiated media rights transaction with Fox." McCourt: "It infuses equity into the Dodgers -- nearly $300 million immediately -- and it provides the financial stability for the Dodgers for the next couple of decades. There's no reason for this transaction not to be approved, and it doesn't smell right to me. ... It's a transaction consistent with what's been approved for other teams." He added, "The only thing preventing me from accessing that capital is Commissioner Selig. I'm trying to talk to Bud and he's not returning my calls, and I just want to know why he's ducking me. I don't understand. When there's a problem, usually people talk about the problem. ... I want to know why he's ducking me. I'm here to solve a problem, not to make a problem." McCourt said he is "not resisting" MLB's investigation into the Dodgers, though he noted, "I don't believe there is a legitimate process and I don't believe the investigation is genuine." McCourt noted he took $100M from the team to fund his personal lifestyle and said, "Over a seven-year period, I took out $5 million per year. My wife was paid $2 million a year. ... The other $50 million was a loan against, not a Dodger asset, against a real estate asset. That loan has to be paid back." He said, "Baseball has very, very strict rules that you have to abide by and the Dodgers abide by those rules. ... We're compliant with every one of Major League Baseball's rules, including their financial rules and DSR rules. We're current on all of our obligations, all of our notes, all of our vendor payments and so on and so forth. We haven't asked for or taken a nickel from MLB's emergency money" ("Squawk Box," CNBC, 4/28).
I WILL NOT GO QUIETLY: McCourt yesterday accused Selig of unfairly blocking the club's pending TV rights deal with Fox, and vowed he will not be pushed aside despite Selig's appointment of Tom Schieffer to run team operations. "Nobody handed the Dodgers to me, and nobody's going to take it away," McCourt said in a frantically arranged, 35-minute press conference after a lengthy meeting with MLB executives in N.Y. "I am very committed to my position. I'm not going anywhere. This is a team that I love, and a community that I love. These are my hard-earned dollars I put into this franchise, and I'm going to protect my rights, obviously." McCourt stopped just short of saying he planned to challenge in court Selig's moves to take over the club's day-to-day operations and designate Schieffer to run the team, and he dodged further questions about potential legal options. But McCourt said he strongly disagreed with both moves, as well as MLB's ongoing investigation into the club's finances, calling the lack of approval for the TV deal "fundamentally wrong" and "un-American." McCourt repeatedly said the Dodgers are fully compliant with MLB financial rules, and have neither sought nor received any emergency funding, a veiled shot at the Mets who last fall received a $25 million emergency loan from MLB. "We don't believe Commissioner Selig has the right to jump the gun and take over the business of the Los Angeles Dodgers," he said.
FOX HOLE: McCourt said he learned as a result of yesterday's meeting that Selig, who did not attend the session and has kept his distance from McCourt, has vetoed the Fox-Dodgers TV deal, one he said was worth in excess of $3B over 17 years. But MLB execs blasted McCourt right back, saying there was in fact no veto of the deal, and instead that there will be no decision until the investigation is complete. And MLB Exec VP/Labor Relations & HR Rob Manfred said there has been no seizure of the team itself. "It is unfortunate that Mr. McCourt felt it necessary to publicize the content of a private meeting," Manfred said in a statement. "It is even more unfortunate that Mr. McCourt's public recitation was not accurate. ... Mr. McCourt is well aware of the basis of Baseball's investigation and has been provided an eight-page document describing the issues of concern to Major League Baseball." Meanwhile, McCourt during his press call also apologized for the nearly two years of tawdry and embarrassing stories regarding his divorce from ex-wife Jamie and revelations of the former couple's use of the franchise to help bankroll a lavish lifestyle. "I think I made some mistakes. I'm sorry about that, and I'm definitely committed to doing things differently moving forward" (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).
READY FOR BATTLE: In L.A., Bill Shaikin writes the "extraordinary 45-minute news conference ... almost certainly foreshadowed a legal battle over control of the team." McCourt: "Somebody coming in to run my business? I'm not going to accept that." McCourt's news conference "upstaged" one held by Schieffer and "enraged Selig and his closest executives, some of whom had met with McCourt" yesterday. A source said that McCourt "made an 'implicit litigation threat' during the meeting" with MLB. Shaikin notes with the Fox contract "on hold, McCourt required a $30-million personal loan to meet the season's first payroll." A source said that McCourt yesterday "told baseball officials he had put $20 million of that loan into the Dodgers and might repay himself out of what was presented as $285 million of up-front money in the Fox deal" (L.A. TIMES, 4/28). McCourt also "complained that Selig would not return his calls" (USA TODAY, 4/28). McCourt: "I suspect that Commissioner Selig calls the other 29 owners back when they call" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/27). In N.Y., Nathaniel Vinton writes it "seemed that McCourt's basic message could have been boiled down" to "We are not the Mets" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/28). In response to a question comparing the Dodgers and the Mets, McCourt said, "Do a comparison chart and look at where the Dodgers stand. Look at where the Dodgers stand in compliance." On Long Island, Ken Davidoff writes McCourt "essentially declared war on Selig" (NEWSDAY, 4/28). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Futterman & Karp write McCourt put himself "on a collision course" with MLB (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/28). DAILY VARIETY's Jon Weisman wrote McCourt yesterday "gave his strongest indication yet that he will sue" MLB. McCourt: "We'll keep you posted, but as I said, I'm not going anywhere" (VARIETY.com, 4/27). YAHOO SPORTS' Tim Brown wrote yesterday was "as dramatic an afternoon as there's been in baseball for at least a decade" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/27).
WHERE HAS THIS PASSION BEEN? ESPN L.A.'s Ramona Shelburne wrote of McCourt, "For 45 minutes, he spoke with the honesty and passion Dodgers fans have waited seven years to hear. ... The Dodgers have always been a possession to McCourt. They should've been a privilege" (ESPNLA.com, 4/27). ESPN L.A.'s Jon Weisman noted McCourt "directed to Dodger fans what for him was an unusual level of contrition." But Weisman wrote, "How dare he claim, yet again, that he has the interests of the fan base at heart. His ownership stands, more than ever, at direct odds with what the Dodger community wants and needs" (ESPNLA.com, 4/27). In L.A., Bill Dwyre notes McCourt "indicated regret, remorse and defiance." Dwyre: "Had McCourt done that long ago, he might not be in his current fix. But a day late and several millions of dollars short seem to be a McCourt operational defect. ... One phrase comes to mind about McCourt's chances. Game over" (L.A. TIMES, 4/28).
SHARP CONTRAST: ESPN L.A.'s Tony Jackson noted McCourt's "defiant tone was in direct contrast to the folksiness of Schieffer." Schieffer: "I look forward to talking to Mr. McCourt and hopefully we can have a nice visit and see what it is he's concerned about." When asked if he anticipates any problems with McCourt, Schieffer said, "I hope that there won't be friction but that's really his choice." Schieffer also was asked if he is "surprised or shocked by the state of the Dodgers' financial situation." He "took a lengthy pause," and said, "I'm not sure 'surprised' or 'shocked' would be the proper terms, but it was a little different than I expected" (ESPNLA.com, 4/27). Schieffer said that his "first order of business is to meet employees and let them know he is here to help." Schieffer: "I have been in a lot of different situations in my life, and one thing that I have always found helpful is to listen -- and that is what I intend to do" (MLB.com, 4/27). In L.A., Tom Hoffarth writes, "Make no mistake: No matter how much McCourt has run up on his charge card, Schieffer is now the one in charge" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 4/28). The L.A. TIMES' Dwyre writes Schieffer is "slick, tough, confident and will answer what he wants to, and how he wants to" (L.A. TIMES, 4/28).
