Fresh off a tumultuous offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers are hoping tonight’s 50th anniversary of the opening of Dodger Stadium will give the troubled franchise a fresh start. The Dodgers first played at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, April 10, 1962, 50 years to the day before Opening Day 2012, against the Cincinnati Reds. Along with […]
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Illinois guv: no public money for Wrigley Field renovations
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn laid down the law today: no way the state contributes to an effort to spend public money on a renovation of the privately owned Wrigley Field. “Our state has severe fiscal challenges so the very idea of the state of Illinois spending millions and millions of dollars on Wrigley Field, I […]
Immigration funds eyed for new Rays ballpark
Following Oakland’s lead, Tampa officials are looking at putting together a ballpark deal based on foreign investments based on the federal EB-5 visa program — a long shot at best. EB-5 is essentially a program that allowed a foreign citizen to “buy” U.S. citizenship by investing a million dollars into a U.S. corporation. It’s been […]
Athletics: No go for O.co
Because they weren’t a financial party to the naming-rights deal, the Oakland Athletics are using Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum as their ballpark name this season, not O.co Coliseum. The naming-rights deal between Overstock and the NFL’s Oakland Raiders for a reported million dollars annually didn’t bring in the Athletics as a partner. The lease calls for […]
Reax to new Marlins Ballpark
After a series of high-school, college and pro exhibitions, Marlins Ballpark is set to open tonight as the new home of the Miami Marlins. Here’s a roundup of early reactions to the facility. The first pitch is scheduled for tonight at 7:05 p.m. ET. Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald says the new ballpark represents […]
Storm, tornadoes spare Rangers Ballpark
Tornadoes sweeping though the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex spared Rangers Ballpark, though heavy winds lifted a tarp off the field and forced workers to storm shelters. The storms and 17 tornadoes caused property damage but not much in the way of human injuries. At the ballpark, where the Texas Rangers were scheduled to take on the […]
Giants to pitch $1.6B development next to AT&T Park
The San Francisco Giants will be unveiling a $1.6-billion development next to AT&T Park, designed to both improve the area and put more money into team coffers. It’s a plan that’s not lacking for vision or grandeur: indeed, it’s one of the biggest building projects in San Francisco history. The team, along with Cordish Companies, […]
Today’s A’s/Giants update: nothing new
It’s maybe the most closely watched business issue in MLB these days, but there’s nothing new in the battle between the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants over San Jose. The New York Times had a nice report on the state of affairs in the A’s/Giants standoff: the A’s want San Jose, the Giants control […]
Milwaukee, Phoenix extend Maryvale Baseball Park lease for three years
The Milwaukee Brewers and the city of Phoenix are extending the team’s spring-training lease at Maryvale Baseball Park for three years and will negotiate a new, longer agreement. The three-year lease extension calls for $1.5 million in improvements immediately, and the two sides will discuss more improvements in further lease negotiations. The improvements will be […]
McCourt’s profit on Dodgers ownership: a cool billion
After the dust settles on the $2-billion sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dodger Stadium, it looks like Frank McCourt could walk away from the deal with a cool billion-dollar profit. The math is pretty simple. Guggenheim Baseball Management LLC is paying $1.6 billion for the franchise and the ballpark and paying $400 million […]
Reax to Dodgers sale to Magic Johnson group
The $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dodger Stadium to a group that includes Magic Johnson and Stan Kasten is causing shockwaves in the baseball community. Here’s a roundup of notable reactions. The Dodgers, Dodger Stadium and the land surrounding the ballpark will be purchased from Frank McCourt by Guggenheim Baseball Management […]
Kasten, Johnson group to buy Dodgers, Dodger Stadium for $2 billion
In a stunning financial transaction, an investment group led by Earvin Johnson and Stan Kasten, funded by Guggenheim Partners, have agreed to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dodger Stadium for $2 billion. The deal was finalized just hours after Major League Baseball owners approved three potential buyers of the team and the storied ballpark. […]
Dodgers sale enters final stretch
Major League Baseball owners approved three groups bidding for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dodger Stadium, with owner Frank McCourt hoping for a billion-plus sale price. It’s been a couple of busy months for McCourt’s legal team, as he works to sell the Dodger assets before the end of the month. During the process several […]