Menu
Franchises

Selig Says There's "No Predetermined Outcome" To Dodgers Investigation

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, speaking Thursday afternoon at the conclusion of quarterly owners meetings in N.Y., said there is "no predetermined outcome" to the ongoing monitoring and investigation into the Dodgers' operations. Club Owner Frank McCourt on several occasions in the past three weeks has accused Selig of running a sham process designed to force him out, something the commissioner vehemently denied. "The outcome is not predetermined," Selig said. "We wouldn't have to go through all of this if it was all predetermined. People can say whatever they want, but it's not predetermined. … We're doing this thoughtfully, carefully, and with a lot of planning." Former Rangers President and U.S. Ambassador Tom Schieffer continues to monitor the club, while MLB outside legal counsel Proskauer Rose is leading the investigation into the club's finances. Those efforts continue without a set timetable. McCourt, meeting face-to-face Wednesday with Selig, sought again to convey the significant time urgency of his financial issues. But Selig said to reporters Thursday only that he is proceeding "expeditiously." "Nobody is using the Dean Smith four-corner offense. We're trying to move as fast as possible." Selig refused to further characterize the meeting with McCourt, or address any questions regarding the much-discussed possibility of the Dodgers failing to meet their May 31 player payroll. A defaulting on the player payroll could render the Dodgers' players free agents. "I'm just not going to address any of that," Selig said in response to several questions on the topic (Eric Fisher, SportsBusiness Journal).

WATCHING TV: McCourt Thursday said that he "had impressed upon Selig the urgency in approving the Dodgers' proposed long-term television contract with Fox, which would provide McCourt with the funding he now lacks to meet the team's May 31 payroll." McCourt: "I just emphasized the importance of timing." In L.A., Bill Shaikin notes even if Selig "were to approve the deal by the end of the month, McCourt might have to overcome another significant hurdle." Two sources indicated that Fox "does not plan to move forward with the contract until the company can be assured Jamie McCourt -- Frank McCourt's ex-wife -- would not challenge the deal." A source said that Jamie, in correspondence with Selig's office, "has asserted her right to a say in the Dodgers' television deals" (L.A. TIMES, 5/13). Schieffer discussed the Dodgers' situation on Thursday and said, "The complexity of the situation is daunting. The way things are structured, sometimes they're for tax purposes and sometimes they're for liability purposes, but it does require you to try to follow the dollar through the process, and that takes a little bit of time" (AP, 5/13).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2011/05/13/Franchises/Dodgers.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2011/05/13/Franchises/Dodgers.aspx

CLOSE