Thursday, October 15, 2009

Dodger Fans Caught in the Crossfire?

Just last night I bet you were feeling pretty good about the future of the Dodger franchise. After the tumultuous Fox years and a rough start for Frank McCourt, the team finally attained a measure of stability, which has paid off in two consecutive NLCS appearances powered by a nucleus of talented youngsters and a $100 million payroll.

Then "Easy Street" morphed into "The War of the Roses" and a Game 1 start by the promising Clayton Kershaw became overshadowed by thoughts of the Padres' recent fire sale and the possibility of a similar fate for the Dodgers. How ugly do the McCourts want to make this? Will they put the interest of the Dodgers ahead of their personal vendettas?

Only their divorce lawyers know for sure, and perhaps I'm overreacting. After all, the McCourts' personal and business livelihoods are intertwined. And as with the Dodgers, we're just spectators. Watching the McCourts' divorce play out will not be all that different than watching a Dodger game: You hope for the best and then see how the team is affected by the outcome. Batter/lawyer up!

10 comments:

koufax said...

this concerns me too.

Eric Karros said...

So this means Jamie is back on the market?

QuadSevens said...

Just heard about this on the radio this morning. Doesn't sound like a good thing, but I hope there isn't a firesale. It would crush the Dodger faithful.

rbnlaw said...

This situation is far different from the Padre Fire Sale. That franchise was faltering when the divorce made disposing of assets necessary.
Here, the franchise is now worth about $750M. He bought it for $450M, so there is $300M in community property assets to divide. Frank is listed as the sole owner, but I don't see that as meaning a lot when it comes to dividing assets. Any decent divorce attorney (which if Jaime is looking, I can get up to speed on community property laws in a heartbeat. . .hell, I AmJured the class in law school) can get around that little detail.
Also, Jaimie is actively involved with the daily operations, whereas Beck Moores was not. . .I believe.

rbnlaw said...

The Times article mentioned that things would be different if there was a pre-nup. They married in 1979, I seriously doubt they had a pre-nup coming out of Georgetown and marrying young.

Fred's Brim said...

maybe if the Dodgers win, they will get back together

Josh S. said...

If Jamie gets the team, does she turn into Rachel Phelps?

Kyle Baker said...

'Bout to get ugly up in dis bish, folks:

Bill Shaikin, LA Times:

"Jamie McCourt has no interest in surrendering her ownership involvement with the Dodgers and has no plans to leave her post as chief executive officer, her attorney said today.

The statements set the stage for what could be a protracted battle for control of the club between Jamie McCourt and her husband, Frank, who announced their separation late Wednesday.

"I firmly believe each of them is going to try to keep the team," a high-ranking baseball source said today, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation.

"I think it's going to be pretty ugly.""

Fred's Brim said...

why is all of this happening now? Maybe this was in the works several months ago and nobody knew until now, or one or both of them are evil, spiteful twats who would rather ruin the other's enjoyment of a possible world series victory than deal with this in a month or two.

okojo said...

I am curious why they are divorcing. I am guessing because of the huge debtload they are carrying to buy and to run the Dodgers.. I see the reason for this divorce as with many others as financial.

The Dodgers will be sold... because the McCourts can't buy each other out, their obligation is to settle the loans they took out to buy the team in 2004, with little down except for their Boston Waterfront properties that News Corp took over after defaulting on the loan that News Corp secured..

I am guessing the divorce will reveal how chaotic running the Dodgers were under McCourts' watch, and how overwhelming the loan payments hung over their heads. To go from naming his wife "CEO" in April, by July, she goes to Israel during the baseball season, (sort of like AWOL, when most overseas travel happens after the season is over) and then is not day to day by that time, shows the McCourts should never run a baseball team in the first place.