Should China Buy The Dodgers?

By Gene Maddaus Thu., Sep. 1 2011 at 1:31 PM

Baseball promotes Mao Zedong Thought

In the 1970s, the Chinese government issued a pamphlet declaring that baseball would "help build the (Communist) party" by promoting "the diligent study of Marxism, Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought."

Since then, the Chinese haven't progressed very far on the field. They bombed out of the 2009 World Baseball Classic in the first round. But off the field, it's a whole different story.

Today, the Times revealed that China is putting up the capital for a $1.2 billion bid for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Frank McCourt approached the Chinese when he was scrounging for cash a few years ago. Frank's plan was that a state-controlled investment group would give him the capital to buy an English Premier League team -- while leaving Frank in total control of his global sports enterprise. The Chinese passed.

But apparently that didn't mean they weren't interested in the Dodgers. They just weren't interested in Frank.

So is this a smart play? The Dodgers' revenue is declining, the seats are mostly empty, the team is subpar. Whoever takes over will have to pull a turnaround. On the other hand, baseball teams don't usually decline in value. Whatever they pay for the franchise today, it'll be worth more down the road.

Chinese ownership would also give the Dodgers a leg up in cracking the vast Chinese market. China is not wild for baseball, but if the Dodgers were seen as "China's team," maybe they'd start buying merchandise and watching the games.

Stateside, there may be some jingoistic backlash to the whole idea. But look: Could it be worse than Frank McCourt?

Update: Of course, MLB will have to approve the deal. Would they? In 2003, MLB's vice president of international market development, Jim Small, traveled to Beijing and said, "Baseball was born in America. Now it belongs to the world."

Not sure if this is what he had in mind.

He went on to say, "If baseball is truly to be considered a global sport, it needs to be played in some key countries -- and China is top of that list."

Tags:

bankrupt, baseball, Bill Burke, China, Dodgers, Frank McCourt

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Cvwest60

If China buys the Dodgers, this life-long Dodgers fan will be a Dodgers fan no more.

racy1285

So long douchebag.

gold

Damn....i was just going to offer 1 billion U.S dollars. Once again, the chinese government out bids me. Damn!

Realtor Tonyd

Would you please keep your filthy remarks to yourself. Use of the 'c'word shows no class and no respect for woman.

boweryboy

That's all you can say? Of all that's going on, your worried about words and women's rights? Are you frickin serious you filthy mutt. Their are no words to describe people like you. Your sickening.

Realtor Tonyd

Absolutely not!!! Are we nuts? Tell China no, no, no. Why would we want an american icon like the Dodgers to be sold to a bunch of communists who hate our guts? This would be unforgivable. If I were a player on the Dodgers, I would resign from the team if China ever became the owners. In fact I would never go back to Dodger Stadium again!

Guest

You dumb cunts whining about foreigners owning baseball teams fail to realize Nintendo owns the Mariners. But I'm not surprised.

Seamule51

What difference does it make if they own the Dodgers??? They already own the U.S. Government.............

Selig

China might as well buy the Dodgers. With over one trillion in debt to use for the purchase, that would be better then the US defaulting.

Mikelicha1996

Even though I'm a Dodger fan. If the Dodgers get sold to the Chinese. I will no longer be a Dodger plain and simple. I don't like China's policies towards America and I don't like our jobs moving there.

racy1285

If you don't like our jobs moving there. Then tell the government to fix our economy idiot. Americans have only themselves to blame for this.

racy1285

If Baseball isn't global. Please explain why the US continues to get owned in the World Baseball Classic?

And your dramatic speech is full of crap by the way. The fact that you promise to quit the sport shows what

Mookie

Hey, why not. The Dodgers need a change and at least they would go to a country that knows how to make money. They may even spend some for a winner. Besides, with 1.3 billion people, there has got to be an untapped resource there somewhere just waiting to be tapped.

MPO

"If baseball is truly to be considered a global sport, it needs to be played in some key countries -- and China is top of that list."

No, it's not.

But, hey, if MLB is this dense and doesn't think selling any team, much less one with a history like the Dodgers, to China isn't going to harm the sport in America over time, well, more power to them. As much as I've had it with MLB, I almost WISH they would approve this deal and give the last step I need to be done with pro baseball altogether.

Honestly, I am not jingoistic (no, it's not jingoistic to have misgivings about another country, or pride in your own), but ANY country would have an issue with the Chinese coming in and buying something like this. It's almost mind-boggling.

racy1285

If Baseball isn't global. Please explain why the US continues to get owned in the World Baseball Classic?

And your dramatic speech is total BS. The fact that you threaten to quit the sport. Shows what kind of "fan" you truly are.

Drwright5000

We should not allow the Chinese to buy or invest in anything American. This includes the LA Dodgers or any other sports franchises. Real estate, domestic or commercial, should also be included. Stop selling our country away to foreign investors. Our farmland is ours due to the hardwork and hardships our people have suffered. Our trade should be based dollar for dollar. Stop giving away our kids future to foreign countries, governments, or foreign interests. America for Americans!! Stop sending our jobs overseas and lets take care of our own people, country and infrastructure. What's wrong with our government??????

Juaninla

Hello, without these foreign investors the Dodgers would have no buyers, our real estate is in the dog house, medicaid is being cut to record low levels, unemployment is at record highs, manufacturing jobs are lost forever...these guys are coming to save the day without having the taxpayers footing the bill. I say let them buy the Dodgers and make the World Series truly global.

Selig

Our trade is based "dollar for dollar", and as of the end of July, China owned $800.5 billion in U.S. Treasurys.

Kunukunu

That would be "Treasuries"

JAMESRBOGGS

Hell no , you do not sell to the chinese, You keep thoes assholes in there own county, and away from the Dodgers. If you are not american, in AMERICA, LEAVE TO DODGERS ALONE..

Joe

Yeah, because Americans like the McCourts did a real great job, you dumb cunt.

Don

Why would anybody buy crappy Dodgers?

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