Breaking up is hard to do. It's even harder when you have to decide how to divide a $700,000,000 asset. Frank and Jamie McCourt are in the middle of a divorce that is so nasty Major League Baseball has taken over operations of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Although Frank McCourt called the move "Un American" baseball has to protect its interest and the integrity of the game. Dodger fans are upset and the players are nervous. Will there be an end to this dilemma in the near future?
The answer is no. The McCourts are in total disagreement about who is the rightful owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jamie McCourt has even gone so far as to demand the sale of the Dodgers suggesting that her husband's outbursts to the media have devalued the team. In addition, Frank McCourt had to take out an emergency loan with FOX network to make payroll last month because his assets are frozen. The divorce proceedings have made it impossible for the Dodgers to make personnel decisions and the franchise is in limbo. It may take years to sort out all the legal mumbo jumbo.
On the surface the McCourt divorce just seems like a marriage gone bad, but the precedence being established is very dangerous. Should sports fans have to worry about the financial solvency and marital relationship of their favorite team's owner? Should they have to check the NYSE or the NASDAQ everyday to make sure the owner's investments are yielding a positive return? Should a bitter divorce tied up in the courts for years determine whether a team wins a championship or not? We don't know how this whole thing will play out, but the rules for ownership will change based on the outcome of this case. Professional sports can't afford to let personal issues affect the stability of an entire league. Something will be done so we don't have this problem again. Stay tuned.
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