(Image Source: Wes Bausmith/Los Angeles Times)

BY KAVEH KAGHAZI

ANCHOR ANA COMPAIN-ROMERO

China wants a piece of the American pasttime. The country has put in a bid to own the Los Angeles Dodgers. The deal could could go down in the next three months.

The Los Angeles Times reports Chinese investors and American LA Marathon founder Bill Burke offered embattled Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt 1.2 billion dollars for the team. KTLA’s Rebecca Hall explains the offer.

“The amount of this reported offer is staggering considering the Dodgers’ value had recently dropped to an estimated 600 million dollars. The offer is twice that. But what makes this story really incredible is that the bulk of this money is said to be coming from quote state-owned investment institutions--just a fancy way of saying the Chinese government.”

The sale price would be the highest ever for a Major League franchise, and would exceed the steepest figure paid for a ballclub--$845 million for the Cubs in 2009. Like it or not, one Wall Street Journal writer says China could significantly impact baseball’s future.


“Let that sink in, baseball fans. We don’t want to be xenophobic here, but the Chinese are coming for our professional baseball teams. And they’re willing to pay unheard of prices. If the Dodgers — a giant stinking mess of a team on the field and off — are worth $1.2 billion, what are the New York Yankees worth?"

But, does Frank McCourt even want to sell the team? ESPN’s Jayson Stark doesn’t see the deal happening.


“Frank McCourt’s M.O. has been to hold on to the team. I mean if he’d just gotten out of the way and let Major League Baseball take over and sell, he’d a been a very rich man. But he’s never shown interest in selling.”

McCourt has 20 days to entertain the idea.  A Yahoo Sports blogger points out, the club’s failing financials might speed up the process.


“Considering how financially leveraged he's become — with the club filing for bankruptcy and all — selling the Dodgers for that much cash money might be the only way to get himself out of debt. Not to mention the "side skirmishes" he'd like settled, such as his divorce from Jamie McCourt…”

Although the deal could bring a lot of cash to Major League Baseball, a LA Times writer felt the offer reflects something bigger.


“…if such a deal were to go through — and it would first have to pass muster with Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig as well the bankruptcy court — the Dodgers would become the very symbol of the decline of American capitalism.”