Though Murdoch Floats Sale Of Dodgers, Team Says Not Yet

News Corp. Chair Rupert Murdoch said that Fox "has achieved the primary business objective it had for purchasing" the Dodgers, "despite two years of staggering financial losses," according to Bill Shaikin of the L.A. TIMES, who writes that Murdoch is "sparking renewed speculation that the Dodgers might be sold." Murdoch said that with the Dodgers "in Fox hands, the Walt Disney Co. surrendered in the race to launch a second local cable sports channel." But Dodgers President Bob Graziano said that the team is "not for sale now." Moag & Co. CEO John Moag and Sportscorp President Marc Ganis said that Fox "could fetch more than" $400M for the Dodgers, which "would allow the company to recoup its purchase price, stadium renovation costs and some operating losses." As "part of any sale, Fox would undoubtedly retain the Dodgers' cable rights for years to come." In an interview with PBS' Charlie Rose, Murdoch said of the cable rights, "The economic reason was that ... we were trying to establish a second cable network in Southern California and Disney was trying to get one going too, around their teams. And, by getting in first ... they didn't find any room to get in. So we really have that local sports business in Southern California as a result." More Graziano: "Our objective is to try to turn around the economics of the ballclub. NewsCorp has taken a long-term perspective. We are as hopeful as any other owner that the economic system of [MLB] will get fixed. We're not looking to continue to incur losses year after year" (L.A. TIMES, 12/13).

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