Phew! That was lucky.
Frank McCourt nearly bought the Sox. And if he had done so, he would have moved us to a piece of the waterfront in South Boston (which he owned of course) and Fenway would be a memory.
Having lost out to Henry, Werner and Lucchino, Frank McCourt and his estranged wife Jamie went after the LA Dodgers, and got it. The LA Dodgers is the franchise that was the Brooklyn Dodgers, the organization which we all love, not least because of Jackie Robinson: number 42. But then in 1958, they migrated to the West Coast, to a purpose-built stadium in Chavaz Ravine and were subsequently bought by the McCourts.
They are now $400 million in debt. And that's long-term debt. The divorcing McCourts used the Dodgers to finance their extravagant lifestyles. And a great organization is in danger of going down as rich people squabble.
"As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport."
Here in the UK, we know only too well about loading a club with debt. Ask Man United fans. And those of us who support Coventry City.
But what's different here, and what distinguishes MLB from the football bosses, is that Commissioner Bud Selig has done something about the problem. He has taken control of "all business and day-to-day operations" at the Dodgers.
The Dodgers organization has already walked out on one set of fans in New York. They were in danger of doing the same again, for very different reasons, in LA.
I'm not a huge fan of Commissioner Selig, but his actions in LA are laudable. And they should be an example for the commissars of English football. (The titles have the same root, but different meanings.)
What Selig seems to have realized, and the UK commissars haven't, is that these clubs are not merely franchises: they are the heart of their communities.
Financial ownership only bestows temporary rights of custody. Real ownership is with the fans.
Go Sox. It could have been us.
Today's listening; Ry Cooder, Chavaz Ravine. Where did you live? Third base, Dodger Stadium.
Frank McCourt nearly bought the Sox. And if he had done so, he would have moved us to a piece of the waterfront in South Boston (which he owned of course) and Fenway would be a memory.
Having lost out to Henry, Werner and Lucchino, Frank McCourt and his estranged wife Jamie went after the LA Dodgers, and got it. The LA Dodgers is the franchise that was the Brooklyn Dodgers, the organization which we all love, not least because of Jackie Robinson: number 42. But then in 1958, they migrated to the West Coast, to a purpose-built stadium in Chavaz Ravine and were subsequently bought by the McCourts.
They are now $400 million in debt. And that's long-term debt. The divorcing McCourts used the Dodgers to finance their extravagant lifestyles. And a great organization is in danger of going down as rich people squabble.
"As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport."
Here in the UK, we know only too well about loading a club with debt. Ask Man United fans. And those of us who support Coventry City.
But what's different here, and what distinguishes MLB from the football bosses, is that Commissioner Bud Selig has done something about the problem. He has taken control of "all business and day-to-day operations" at the Dodgers.
The Dodgers organization has already walked out on one set of fans in New York. They were in danger of doing the same again, for very different reasons, in LA.
I'm not a huge fan of Commissioner Selig, but his actions in LA are laudable. And they should be an example for the commissars of English football. (The titles have the same root, but different meanings.)
What Selig seems to have realized, and the UK commissars haven't, is that these clubs are not merely franchises: they are the heart of their communities.
Financial ownership only bestows temporary rights of custody. Real ownership is with the fans.
Go Sox. It could have been us.
Today's listening; Ry Cooder, Chavaz Ravine. Where did you live? Third base, Dodger Stadium.
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