McCourt “very, very confident” he’ll wind up with the Dodgers
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Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said Tuesday that fans should not be concerned about his financial troubles and renewed his vow to own the team whenever his costly and lengthy divorce proceedings conclude.
‘We’re just going to go through that process,’ McCourt said. ‘I’m very, very confident at the end of the process that I’m going to own the baseball team and, someday, my four kids are. My confidence in that has not changed.’
The Dodgers posted a losing record last season, which could affect season-ticket sales even without a struggling economy and the damaging revelations from McCourt’s divorce trial.
McCourt said ticket sales were ‘fine’ and ‘right on projections’ but would not say whether sales were up or down as compared to last year.
In December, a judge threw out the marital property agreement that would have granted McCourt sole ownership of the Dodgers. As McCourt prepares for another round in court — one that could last beyond the coming season and perhaps into the 2012 season — his ex-wife Jamie plans to form an investment group and challenge Frank McCourt to sell the team to her group.
In addition, with the Dodgers heavily in debt and taking an advance on broadcast revenue from Fox, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig has signaled he would reject any long-term contract renewal with Fox or any minority investors McCourt might recruit. Any such decision could complicate McCourt’s ability to satisfy his lenders and retain control of the team.
Nonetheless, McCourt said, fans should not be concerned with his financial struggles.
‘Not at all,’ he said.
He said the fans he meets do not want to discuss his divorce, his debt or whether he would sell the team. In seven seasons under McCourt ownership, he said, the Dodgers have advanced to the playoffs four times.
‘The fans care about one thing, and that is the team winning,’ he said. “That’s really what they want to talk about. They want to talk about the players — our pitching, who’s going to bat cleanup, and so on and so forth. That’s really what they care about — the team, and winning a championship.
‘That’s what they want. That’s what I want to deliver to the fans, a world championship, more than anything else.’
On Monday, the Lakers and Time Warner announced a new regional sports network. McCourt had hoped to launch his own network after the Dodgers’ contract with Fox expires in 2013. McCourt said he did not believe that the Lakers’ network would preclude him from starting one for the Dodgers.
‘Maybe someday in the future,’ McCourt said. ‘Right now we have a great relationship with Fox. We have a contract with Fox, and we’re very, very happy with that.’
McCourt, speaking after the Dodgers and the city of Los Angeles dedicated a community baseball field at Northridge Recreation Center, had a quick response to a question about where the Dodgers go after another tumultuous winter.
‘We go to spring training,’ he said.
The Dodgers’ pitchers and catchers report Wednesday.
-- Bill Shaikin