Dodgers Fans: Boycott the McCourts?
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Dodgers Fans, Are You Boycotting?
Here's how Frank and Jamie McCourt, owners(?) of the Los Angeles Dodgers, have used fans' hard-earned cash when we pay their jacked-up prices to attend a game or buy Dodgers gear:
- over a billion dollars worth of 7 McMansions plus a lot in Cabo San Lucas,
- Salaries of $2M and $5M for themselves plus miscellaneous expenses like private jets and five-star hotels,
- $600K in allowances for their sons,
- an undisclosed salary plus annual six figure bonuses to psychic Vladimir Shpunt,
- $20 million of lawyers fees in the first year of their divorce proceedings
- a quarter of the Dodger's charity fund paid to Frank McCourt's buddy appointed as its CEO
- $100 million taken from the Dodger's charity fund mostly for Jamie's personal use
- avoided paying taxes on $108 million.
And, y'know, that FOX deal in June that mean ol' Bud Selig blocked, money that Frank McCourt promised would ALL go to the Dodgers? Well, no, actually, $173.5 million would've gone to him to pay divorce expenses and such.
Meanwhile, in 2011, Dodger fans will pay an average of $45 per ticket, $15 for parking, and $20 for food and beer. Yep, that's a happy $80, folks.
So the question is, Dodger fans: do we continue to help out hard-luck Frank and Jamie who are struggling to pay their bills in this tough economy, or stay at home and watch the games with Vin?
Update 7/2/11: The saga continues. See this painful but excellent analysis of the McCourts' financial shell game and the definitive list of The Collected Sins of the McCourts.
Update May 30, 2012: FREE AT LAST! THE BOYCOTT WORKED and helped force Frank McCourt to sell the team to new owners, including Magic Johnson! The McCourts are being investigated by a grand jury for some of the financial misconduct above.
HOWEVER, Frank McCourt still has a controlling interest in the land the parking lots are on, split 50% with the Dodgers' new owners. A McCourt-owned entity will be getting $14 million a year in payments to lease the land, and will profit from any new development of the lots. The Guggenheim Group (and Magic Johnson) can veto any development plans proposed by McCourt.
So what does this mean? The new Dodger owners pay rent to McCourt regardless of whether we park, but if we can pack the stadium with 50,000 fans and leave the lots empty, it should send a message: don't give the crook an inch or you'll lose these battle-scarred fans for good! The Dodger Stadium so-called Express is a free shuttle from Union Station to Dodger Stadium (allow an extra hour for the ride). I've been taking Metrolink or Amtrak up from Irvine's Amtrak station. Amtrak tickets from that far out are $17, but the conductors often fail to collect tickets, making them a bargain.
I'm leaving the rest of this page up (first posted before the 2011 season, although I boycotted from the start of 2010) as a reminder: we love our Dodgers, but we'll hold the new owners accountable like the old ones!
Be sure to watch the quick video below on Dodgertown -- the REAL, historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach -- which Frank McCourt wiped off the map.
A Love Letter to the McCourts
Yes, This Includes Jamie Too
My photo of Frank McCourt visiting the plebs on Opening Day, 2008 -- "Blueeyedgal"
With thanks to photographers edenpictures and upturnedface for additional graphics (CC).
Poll: Will you boycott Dodgers games in 2011?
Time to Vote With Your Pocketbook
DODGERS FANS: SPEAK YOUR MIND!
To Boycott, Or Not to Boycott...
Dodgers Fans: Boycott or Not?
Yes, boycott. We can't support these crooks!
Tony Lasaa says:
Frank McCourt has managed to bring the Dodgers franchise to its lowest point since the 1920-1930's. The Dodgers are an embarrassment to baseball, let alone LA. I will NEVER go to a game until this slimy used car salesman sells the team. I hope he tanks and loses hundreds of millions of dollars.
Vahe says:
Did not go to one game last year..I plan to listen to Vin all season long at home!!!
Domingo says:
Yeah, I say boycott completely or at least cut back. The Dodgers have topped the 3 million mark every year and McCort has just taken that money to pay a hair stylist over $100,000 a year for hair cuts! I was at the Dodger Angel game and it was empty with 19,000 but the lines were rediculous because there were only 2 workers per consession stand. I have bought tickets to only 3 games this year as opposed to at least 12 games in the past. Lets see how a 75% pay cut suits the McCourts.
paint2blue says:
Thanks for letting me vent. I hate this owner and what he does for the fans. I hope we send a message to his pocket book and send him packing to one of his many homes. I love baseball but I will be a sucker a no more. I'd rather root for the Giants, yes the Giants, than support McCourt. I even boycotted the LA Marathon because he owns that too and he made it more expensive, What a crook. Even opening day is whack. Last year there were more cops tailgating than fans. What a way to ruin the one day that was guaranteed to be fun, not any more. If I could I would be outside the stadium picketing but it's not worth my time or gas to get there. Did anybody see the empty stadium yesterday against the Angels? I hope that is a sign of things to come. Even the Right field pavillion has water dispensors instead of bottled water, "All you can eat" my a*$. I hope more people open their eyes. Thanks for hearing me. Let's play ball.
fakiar says:
when u spend money at dodger stadium, ur not supporting the team, just imagine the smirk on McCrouches face!
Greekgeek says:
dewey: I think some of us were enjoying watching the Dodgers play in October... and, just as importantly, we were enjoying watching Dodger teams that were good enough to PLAY in October. All owners get their share of bashing, but until the divorce opened a lot of new revelations, we didn't realize just what the McCourts were doing with all that money.
Kay says:
I'm boycotting Dodger Stadium starting with the 2011 season and until Frank sells the team. I also will not buy anything with the Dodgers name on it (I already have a lot) because I know those dollars go right into McScum's pocket. Force him to sell.
Marvelous says:
Enough is Enough, I love my Dodgers(I Bleed Blue), and for that reason i cant stand here and watch them get used as and ATM for some already rich guy that doesnt care about the Team or the City that I love, i dont mind paying $15, 20 even 25 for parking or for beer, as long as the money is going to the team and them winning a well over do Championship. Not into the pokets of some ************ , From Boston that didnt want to Dodgers to begin with, he only got them cus he couldnt get the redsox. I go to more the 50 games every year and I do not miss Opening day for anything, its a tradition, but this year, As much as it hurts me to do so, I will not be there or the rest of the season. not as long as Frank is still the owner or Our Team.
So to all real Dodger Fans I say, if you love the team and know anything about baseball. boycott and save your money dont pay for a divorce that is not yours. i know it hurts the Team now and that hurts me too, but we will be better for it later.
I LOVE LA, GO DODGERS AND THINK BLUE!!!
Gary says:
I am not going to spend near as much or go to games unless I am given the tickects(FREE!). I have the same attitude about spring training as well. I am going to games at other stadiums this year.
No boycott. Supporting the Dodgers comes first!
dewey says:
I have been boycotting every since these asses were in town, where have you all been?
Did You Attend Any Games Last Year?
Or Did the Divorce McCourts Drive You Away?
In 2010, I didn't renew my 21-game miniplan for the first time in 5 years. In fact, I last set foot in Dodger Stadium for the last regular season game of '09. How about you?
More of the McCourts' Legacy: Dodgertown, RIP
They Sold Paradise to Put in a Parking Lot
IN THE NEWS: The Dodgers Divorce
Grab your antacids and check out the latest...
- Dodgers' McCourt-era finances investigated by federal panel
- Former Dodgers owners Jamie, left, and Frank McCourt are under investigation for possible criminal financial conduct. (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times / July 5, 2006) By Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times A federal grand jury is investigating possible ...
- Firm that represented Frank McCourt in bankruptcy goes bankrupt
- The law firm going bankrupt is the same law firm that handled Frank McCourt's bankruptcy of the Dodgers. In its filing, Dewey lists liabilities ?in the range? of $100 million to $500 million; if that's the best estimate it can come up with, ...
- Los Angeles Dodgers: 4 Goals for the New Ownership Group in the 2012 MLB Draft
- 2012 has been kind to the Los Angeles Dodgers so far. The Frank McCourt ownership era is now officially behind them, and the team enters today with the best record in Major League Baseball at 32-17. While the Dodgers' big league squad focuses on ...
- Are These Dodgers A Vision Or Mirage?
- As the Dodgers charged into the 2012 season, expectations of success were minimal. The fan base was happy that reviled owner Frank McCourt had sold the team, and was prepared to show patience for new ownership to build around established stars Matt ...
Dodgers We CAN Root For...
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paperfacets Feb 25, 2011 @ 12:05 pm | delete
- What a bad slump the Dodgers are in. Besides, the owners misbehaving some players do too. Where has all the good work ethic gone? All we will have this year is Vin.
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Greekgeek
Feb 25, 2011 @ 6:03 pm | delete
- Some of the young players need to shape up, but I'm not sure Joe Torre was the best fit for some of them, nor did it help that Colletti was badmouthing Kemp in public early in the season when many other players were less productive than he was. I'm not sure why Kemp became last year's lightning rod; there were problems all around. Not to mention Ethier breaking his hand! :(
Hopefully it won't be quite as bad this year. I just wish they'd let Tim Wallach have his chance as manager; he would've been great. Donnie Baseball may pull it off, but he lacks the experience.
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by Greekgeek
I love my Dodgers, and I WANT THEM BACK.
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While one might argue that Dodger Stadium was built with private funds, so this doesn't apply, the McCourts certainly have enjoyed some of the same methods... and I'm sure Vero Beach feels like they've been had, after the city bought the entire Dodgertown facility for the Dodgers with taxpayer dollars on the condition that the Dodgers stayed there!
