DODGERS The ongoing OWNERSHIP Thread

David Stern is a complete POS.

 

It is almost March and Spring Training has begun. Where is the hope and optimism we were expecting to have about now? Frank the slayer has once again killed it. We are starting to turn on the players and not a pitch has been thrown to a batter in a game. TY you Frank and Bud for having handled this nightmare so well and bringing it to a swift and certain conclusion.

 

So once again I must quote Blue Zoo in his very accurate analysis of the commissioner of baseball, Mr. Bud Selig.

" The Emperor has no clothes"

When last seen Bud Selig was seen naked in an alley bent over with Frank McCourt standing behind him!

 

i must have skipped this one but i think you must have gotten your thoughts backwards. spank is on the clock and in bankruptcy.

 

The one silver lining to this butt-ugly cloud is that Frank is going to be forced to sell the DS perimiter to pay the lawyers, if he wants to keep wants to keep pushing this deal. He may have pledged all that land as collateral for other loans already secured. Maybe he's trying to drag it out until the Fox TV contract expires?

 

http://www.latimes.com/sports/dodge...s-sale-bid-20120227,0,6558262.story?track=rss

So if Frank has at least 6 bidders willing to pay 1.5 billion for the team he probably could secure a loan to pay Jamie by April 30 if needed. If he misses the April 1 sale date what is Bud going to do? Should I say Bud the Emperor? Who knows what clauses Frank has in the not fully disclosed sale agreement. Have we seen anything so far to make us think Bud has backed Frank into a corner with that sales agreement? Seems like Frank is being allowed full license at this point.Maybe he has Frank in an alley but from a previous post their positions don't seem very flattering to Bud.

 

The lawyers are and have been paid from the loan Frank got from MLB. The question is does he have to pay MLB back and if so it will come from the sale proceeds of the team. Again who knows what the settlement agreement between MLB and Frank says. Remember Frank was forced by Bud to take a loan from MLB that Frank in turn used to fight MLB with. Wow that Emperor Bud really wears some stud clothes.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/03/s...ers-bankruptcy-rolls-up-fees-by-the-hour.html

Damn that Bud is one tough dude and has been sticking it to Frank since this all began!

 

Interesting read from Forbes contrasting the Mets and Dodgers from a valuation perspective.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeoza...are-swinging-at-dodgers-but-taking-with-mets/

The values of the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets have been moving further apart.

In hindsight we might see a perfect storm came together for McCourt and Blackstone stoked the winds to propel things even more. Hard to believe all of this when we consider our mind thoughts in April of 2011.

 

But, are each of these 6 remaining bidders - who have laid down 1.5 BIG ONES down on the table - willing to put up with Frank still owning the parking lots? Is Torre/Caruso correct in their letter and Frank will never deal the lots? Or is there a separate bid going on secretly for the lots?

 

I posted an article from one of the financial publications previously. It said that Torre and Carruso were not being fully truthful. McCourt had not said absolutely no to the parking lots but that Caruso and McCourt could not afford to go forward and were saving face. They have reached their financial limits however the article said they could possibly get back in with additional investors. They probably don't want to. Not everyone hates Frank like we do and it may be cheaper to lease the lots than buy the land. Unlike Bud these folks will bring lawyers to the table equal to those of Blackstone who have had a history of working successfully with Blackstone. Magic and Stan Kasten are still in the running and that is good. Some of these finalist worry me. There is a developing undercurrent that worries me regarding cash flow and the new owners as it relates to payroll. I am not sure we will be seeing a a 160 million payroll anytime soon.

 

If he kept the lots, I'm sure Frank would want to jump on the development right away. Get the money. And developing the lots during the season would be a nightmare. The bulldozers ripping away. The miles of red cones. The red lights that would cause every night would scare off half the fans. I am particularly thinking of those fans you want to fill the seats during the week - who bring the kids and want to get home before 11pm. The bidders must be considering all of this. And who is going to see the Dodgers if it costs 50 bucks to park? No, I don't think there's any working with him at all. I think you've got to get this guy out of the picture.

 

I understand and feel what you are saying. Unfortunately fan/sports writer input seems to have had zero impact on anything so far. Is Frank a business man? Yes and a cut throat one at that. He is now negotiating with other cut throat businessmen who have a history of bringing bigger knives to the fight.

 

Again it is what they think and what are they willing to endure to get the media rights and that money flowing in. Remember as others have said it is no longer about the team but about money and media rights and money and development. Once you sign a 20 year media deal for say some where between 3.5-4 billion that money comes in whether you have a 100 million or 160 million payroll or whether you win 81 games or 96. From the Dodger sale forward the financial dynamics of some teams are going to be changing. Arte Moreno chose to take 24 million of new media money a year to sign Pujols. He didn't have to!

 

7 #Dodgers bidders still in running: Magic/Kasten, Cohen, Hindery/Barrack, Kushner, Kroenke, Disney/Gold, Casden.

 

I see what you are saying. They could have a huge economic success, and at the same time withstand a massive public failure - just to get the most $$$$ out of their mega-investment. But I don't think these guys can get away with neglecting the team too much - not after all of this media attention. The press had a lot to do with the McCourt's implosion. (At least it magnified the divorce, the corruption, the bankrupcy, the Malibu houses, the Dream Foundation Scandal, etc). Ultimately, the fans were pissed off and the stadium was empty. I think if you're the new owner, you want to reverse this tide. You want Simers and Plaschke to write nice things about you. You want positive press - so it's worth developing an exciting, dynamic winning franchise. The Anals are the example. They will have a full stadium, sell tons of Pujols merchandise and Fox will have no problem with finding advertisers. They look set for the long run, too. Everybody is happy and the cash flows nicely all around. (At least until the hombre gets busted for steroids, but that's another topic). I think it's just easier for an owner to rule over a winning team and all the positive vibes that comes with it.

 

Not sure all of the bidders have identified a baseball man to run operations or have had much to say to the people of Los Angeles about how they want to be a part of the community and bring a winner for fans and to make them happy. There were bidders who said that but a number of them dropped out already. The Angels had a 120 million payroll last year and won 4 more games than us? Yet they outdrew us in attendance and had a happy fan base. Moreno is a good owner who is fan oriented and hopefully we will end up with one also.

 

Gaaawd won't he just go away?

I always thought that no Billionaire with the wits to amass that kind of money would be stupid enough to allow McCrook to retain ANY part of the Dodgers, particularly the parking lots and real estate... but news reports appear daily suggesting that this piece of shit is about to pull that rabbit out of his scabes and lice riden hat.

Arrrrrrgggghhh...