Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Frank McCourt hoped one hard home run would avoid more extra innings in the long divorce from his 30-year marriage, but Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig called a foul ball. As we have discussed in previous posts, the biggest debate that has come out of this divorce is who owns the Dodgers and, therefore, how to settle property division details between the couple.
Last week, Frank McCourt and his attorneys came up with a settlement that they proposed to MLB representatives, who are tempted to take away ownership from the McCourts for the good of the team and its fans. The settlement, approved even by Jamie McCourt, involved a Fox Sports TV deal that would have made the MLB an estimated $3 billion over the next several years. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig rejected the deal to prevent “further diversion of Dodgers assets for the personal needs of Mr. McCourt.”
His rejection of the Fox Sports deal traps the McCourt divorce between bases, voiding the court approved divorce settlement. The McCourts’ divorce has motivated the MLB to look into the finances behind the team, and it has reportedly been discovered that the couple used Dodger-related revenue for their personal use. That, along with the fact that the McCourts still would have profited from the proposed Fox deal, moved Selig to quickly reject the proposed settlement.
Having two people involved in a divorce creates enough complications, but adding an entire organization into the mix makes for a seemingly never-ending divorce process. If the history of this case alone teaches us anything, it’s that there are sure to be many more developments to come. We will keep you posted on any updates related to the divorce and ownership of the Dodgers.
Source
Los Angeles Times: “Bud Selig rejects Dodgers TV contract, nullifying McCourt divorce, deal,” Bill Shaikin and David Wharton, 21 Jun. 2011
