Monday, June 20, 2011

UPDATED Rumors Abounding That MLB Has Rejected Fox Deal

The internets are blowing up today about the rumor that Bud Selig has rejected the deal Fox extended to Frank McCourt, a deal which had provided the only substantive lifeline that Frank McCourt has been able to grasp in the past months.

MSTI had the news earlier today, including a link to the Tim Brown Yahoo Sports article that posted this morning--but that post has since been taken down. But here's what MSTI said Tim Brown had said (man, this sounds like a bad game of telephone):

Commissioner Bud Selig has rejected McCourt’s stab at solvency in the form of a television rights deal, finding that the financing of yesterday’s debt (both personal and professional) with tomorrow’s revenue is not a sustainable business model.

McCourt was notified Monday that, in spite of the divorce settlement he reached Friday with ex-wife Jamie, Major League Baseball would not approve the 17-year, near-$3-billion contract with Fox, money McCourt has said he’d require to keep the Dodgers viable. The divorce settlement also was contingent on Selig’s approval of the Fox deal, as it was partly funded by the contract.

With a large payroll outlay due in 10 days, the fight has come again to McCourt, the feisty Bostonian whose choices seem limited: sell or sue.

Subsequently, Molly Knight retracted her tweets that "something big" was about to go down, calling it a Dewey/Truman moment. Okay.

I think the one I liked the best was Keith Law's tweet: Frank McCourt says he hasn't received any answer from MLB on Fox. Coincidentally, he shut his phone off and refuses to check his email.

Stay tuned.

UPDATE, 1:27 p.m.: From @BillShaikin:

MLB notified McCourt this afternoon that Selig has rejected #Dodgers' TV deal with Fox.

11 comments:

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

FRANK MCCOURT IS DEAD. SHORT LIVE FRANK MCCOURT.

RT @BillShaikin: MLB notified McCourt this afternoon that Selig has rejected #Dodgers' TV deal with Fox.

RT @TBrownYahoo: MLB has notified McCourt it will not approve Fox deal. More to come.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Oh, dammit, I didn't see the update.

Fuck it, I'm leaving my post.

Orel said...

The more the merrier!

Josh S. said...

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Steve K said...

Now we can finally get to the seizure of the team and the inevitable lawsuit! Woohoo!!!

Josh S. said...

Can Frank sue if he can't afford lawyers?

Nostradamus said...

With Frank, there's always room for lawyers.

MR.F said...

The wicked witch is dead? Thanks Bud "Dorothy" Selig!

Steve Sax said...

(let's all recall that was Selig who got us into this McCourt mess to begin with)

Nostradamus said...

I'm not popping the cork until there's someone else running the show.

Steve Sax said...

Words to live by, from Mr. C.