While News Corp. Chair Rupert Murdoch's offer to buy
the Dodgers still faces "formal scrutiny" by MLB owners, the
transaction "is already beginning to look like a done deal,"
according to Hiltzik & Newhan of the L.A. TIMES. Hiltzik &
Newhan: "[N]o concerted opposition has emerged among the
owners. ... They will probably take a final vote on the deal
by the end of the year." The only teams "to have openly
expressed concerns about the deal" are the Padres and
Giants. Padres Owner John Moores "is concerned" that any
increase in the number of Dodger games on TV could "cut into
his team's attendance," while the Giants have expressed
"similar sentiments." While Murdoch and Time Warner Vice
Chair Ted Turner have feuded publicly in the past, "at least
one Turner confidant said last week that he would not be
surprised to see Turner abstain or vote against the Dodgers
deal 'just to be ornery' if his vote would not be deciding.
He might, however, be less likely to cast a 'nay' vote that
would actually kill the transaction" (L.A. TIMES, 9/14).
