So Who Are the Potential Buyers?

With last nights news comes the arduous and difficult task of waiting for what comes next. Frank McCourt may be headed for the exits, but who will come in to take his place?

We all hope that the next owner will love team like we all do. We also know that the next owner will be a businessman who will seek higher revenue and profits; especially considering a price of over $1Billion will be expected. So who could this be? Is there a savior in sight?

Check out a brief list I've put together consisting of folks who have already expressed interest or are speculated to be interested. Check it out and let me know if there is someone else you think might be in play.

• Bill Burke. Remember this guy? He made a unsolicited $1.2Billion offer in early September. His offer was immediately vilified as unserious and a secret plot by the Communist Chinese to buy Los Angeles- or some crazy such thing. Personally, I'd like to know more about the buyers, partners and financing before disregarding it.
• Mark Cuban. You all know who he is. He appears to be everyone's choice as future owner of the team. Cuban is an uber-fan Angelenos would probably appreciate. On the other hand, it has already been reported (via LA Times) that the expected price tag for the team may be a non-starter.
• Time Warner. I never would have considered this, but Bill Shaikin of the LA Times makes a interesting observation. Check out his tweet below. Actual interest has yet to be confirmed.
• Fox- again? Since Time Warner has been mentioned then Fox has to be considered as a potential buyer, no? Fortunately, it appears we will not have to go through their ownership again. Word through twitterland is "no way, jose" from the big boses at News Corp.
• Eli Broad. He is retired real estate developer with a net worth valued at almost $6Billion. On top of that, he had made a reported $430Million offer for the Dodgers in 2004. This offer was nearly all cash. ALL CASH! Something tells me that he will be coming back into focus for a second stab at the team.
• Ron Burkle. He is also a California born investor worth over $3Billion. Burkle is already a part sports franchise owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins and has been speculated to be a potential player for the Dodgers should it be up for sale.
• Philip Anschutz. He is a $7Billion Denver native who owns and operates AEG. If you don't already know, they built the Staples Center and adjoining LA Live! and owns the LA Kings hockey franchise (as well as, part of the Lakers). His company is also heavily involved in the proposed building of a downtown football stadium. I suspect the real estate associated with the Dodgers and often spoken about plans to develop the area into a destination entertainment complex will find great appeal to Anschultz and AEG.
• Magic Johnson. Wow! Wouldn't that be something if he came out the victor here? He has become quite a businessman since he left the hardcourt. With the right financial backers Magic may be a great choice. As previously reported, he sold his stake in the Lakers and has been neck-deep in the effort to bring football to LA. Will he shift gears and focus on the Dodgers?

UPDATE: Checkout another list that have been put together over the past several months in anticipation of a Dodger sale.

• The Hollywood Report- "10 Hollywood Players Who Could Buy the Dodgers."

Furthermore, I forgot to mention Steve Garvey as a potential buyer. Of course, he would have to put together a group of investors to make it happen. Does he have right backers? Do any Dodger fans want him running the franchise?

Burke Offers $1.2Billion for Dodgers

Yes, Please let this happen sooner than later. Just about anyone is better than the McCourts. Via Bill Skaikin of the LA Times we learn that Bill Burke has offered $1,200,000,000.00 for the Dodgers.

The bid terms proposed by the Burke group call for an all-cash payment to buy the Dodgers, all real estate related to the team and the team's media rights, according to the letter. Attorneys for McCourt have said he could try to keep Dodger Stadium and the surrounding parking lots even if he sold the team.

The bid would expire in 21 days, according to the letter, with the goal of closing a deal within 90 days, subject to the approvals of the bankruptcy court and Major League Baseball.

It sounds like a Letter of Intent was submitted with a drop dead date 3 weeks out. This is certainly not a firm expiration date, nor does it appear that it was an offer filled with specifics. Still, this offer would probably work as a guideline for future negotiations towards a mutually acceptable agreement.

Check out a fairly detailed biography of Bill Burke at the South Coast Air Quality Management District. He is currently the Governing Board Chairman, and more importantly is a local guy with strong ties throughout the community.

UPDATE: From what I read from the Times article, the Chinese connection is related to the financing of the deal. I do not get the impression, at all, that Burke is a front for Chinese investors. In fact, the article states

"the letter did not specify who would finance the Burke bid, other than to say the money would come from "certain state-owned investment institutions of the People's Republic of China" as well as unidentified American investors"

So, a foreign bank (think a Chinese version of Goldman Sachs) would provide the debt, but not necessarily control the team.