Fox Subsidiary affecting bidding process, Los Angeles Dodgers file case – MLB News
The Los Angeles Dodgers has put their assets on sale since the end of the World Series, but they are undergoing consistent problems. Now the club management has complained that the Fox Media group is affecting the steps to sell the assets and the media rights
to it.
According to team officials, the Fox lawyer, Richard Stone wrote a letter on November 9 to the Dodgers’ financial adviser Blackstone, in which he has asked to stop the bidding process for the media rights of the Cubs’ games in 2012.
"Allowing others to bid or express interest in the media rights for the Dodgers is a clear breach of the letter and spirit of the exclusive negotiation term," Stone wrote.
The context of the letter was saying that Fox are intending to influence the sale of the media assets and the ownership of the club. Dodgers have filed a motion in court on Saturday, asking the Judge Kevin Gross to allow the club to sell their media rights
from 2014, including a 45 day exclusive period for negotiations with the Fox broadcasting network.
At this time, the contract for the games until 2013 is with Prime Ticket, which can also get a chance to broadcast the games from October 15, 2012 to November 30, 2012. The network has been given a chance to negotiate the later part of 2012 before moving
forward.
According to the case filed in the Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, the Fox Sports Net West’s lawyers are violating the halt litigation case filed against the debtor in bankruptcy because they have sent the letters to the Dodgers’ financial adviser, Black Advisory.
The Dodgers’ attorneys filed the case on Wednesday in U.S Bankruptcy court.
Dodgers also informed the court that according to their contract with Major League Baseball, the club would have to exercise the selling process before April 30, 2012.
By "obtaining firm offers, LAD can demonstrate to buyers the substantial value of the post-2013 telecast rights," the team wrote. "LAD has determined in the exercise of its business judgment that marketing the post-2013 telecast Rights at this time will
further the interests of LAD, as well as its creditors."
It looks like the Dodgers and Fox might have to settle this through lengthy court hearings and lousy lawyers. The sale of the Dodgers is currently top priority as the team will be looking to get back into some sort of financial discipline and have a decent
2012 season.
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