There has been a lot of drama taking place out in California during the last week, as MLB Commissioner Bud Selig decided to take over the Los Angeles Dodgers, ousting former owner Frank McCourt for putting the team $430 million in debt. This is all in the midst of a nasty divorce trial between McCourt and his wife, Jamie, whom was part owner of the franchise until she was fired in 2009.
What is even more unfortunate is how the greedy business practices of major league owners can affect a baseball club. But this idea of the money-hungry owner is nothing new. There have been owners that did great things for baseball that were never fully appreciated. This is why I chose to dedicate this column to a discussion of the most controversial major league owners in recent history, and I will begin with Mr. McCourt himself.
Frank McCourt, Los Angeles Dodgers 2004-2011
It’s truly embarrassing to have your ownership rights stripped away, even when you did not exceed the level of debt the MLB allows, which is debt exceeding 10 times the operating income. However, there were many other factors at play here. The most entertaining one that comes to mind is when the McCourts hired a Russian physicist to supposedly “channel positive thoughts toward the team,” according to the Los Angeles Times. I guess palm readings in the dugout were commonplace as well. No wonder why Selig took action to protect “the best interests of baseball,” as the Dodger players were being hypnotized right before they went up to bat!
But seriously, there are other reasons why the MLB has taken over day-to-day operations of the organization. Strike three for Selig was when McCourt took out a $30 million personal loan from Fox in order to meet payroll. Maybe the McCourts should not have used team funds for personal expenses during those seven years, or the Dodgers might have had a chance this season.
Fred Wilpon, New York Mets 1986-present
You may not know his name, but unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you have heard this one: Bernie Madoff. The name itself sounds like someone who is a leader in the mafia. And this isn’t far off, as Madoff engineered the largest Ponzi scheme in history.The close friendship between Madoff and Wilpon blinded the Mets owner, who ignored clear signs of investment fraud as he invested with Madoff.
All of this came out just before the Mets opened Citi Field, which put them in even more debt. Wilpon could sell a 25 percent stake in the team just to stay afloat financially. This is nothing but a classic example of how the money-hungry attitude of major league owners can get in the way of smart investments.
George Steinbrenner, New York Yankees 1973-2010
The first thought that pops into most people’s minds when they hear this name is “legend.” He continued the already prominent Yankees legacy, leading them to seven World Series championships and 11 American League pennants. Additionally, he is responsible for acquiring the main faces of the team, as well as building the new stadium that stands as a memorial to his legacy. But his tenure as “The Boss” did not come without controversy, and not everyone sees him in a positive light.
He was suspended from baseball twice, the first for illegal contributions to the Nixon re-election campaign and the second for paying off gambler Howie Spira to investigate Dave Winfield. Steinbrenner had constantly bullied Winfield for not producing in the postseason after signing him to a huge contract in 1980.
When free agency started in the MLB, Steinbrenner used it to his advantage, always going after the best players no matter the cost. This sort of seems unfair to the other teams in baseball, but when you consider the millions of dollars in shared revenue that teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates receive from the Yankees, things even out. No matter what one’s opinion of Steinbrenner is, he did revolutionize the business of baseball, for better or for worse.
sports@theeagleonline.com
