LOS ANGELES (AP) - Steve Soboroff, hired by Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt to oversee improving the fan experience at the stadium, has resigned after two months on the job.
Team spokesman Josh Rawitch confirmed that Soboroff quit Saturday. The Los Angeles civic leader resigned in a letter to McCourt, citing Major League Baseball’s oversight of the team as the reason.
In his letter, Soboroff wrote that “an unanticipated action by the commissioner of Major League Baseball resulted (understandably) in elevating the resolution of ’control and ownership’ issues to top priority, as it remains to this day. As a consequence, it is not possible for me to effectively work on the very initiatives and contributions that you had hired me to implement.”
The resignation was first reported by ESPN.com.
Soboroff’s hiring was announced on April 19, a week before baseball Commissioner Bud Selig appointed former Texas Rangers president Tom Schieffer to oversee the Dodgers’ finances.
His hiring came after angry public criticism of the Dodgers following the beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow in a stadium parking lot on opening day.
At the time, the team said Soboroff would coordinate implementation of recommendations from former Los Angeles Police Chief Bill Bratton’s team to enhance security and the overall fan experience at the stadium.
Two days after his hiring Soboroff publicly criticized Selig’s hiring of Schieffer, calling it “irresponsible.”
Soboroff said the Dodgers were in good shape financially.
“Frank has money in the bank. He has a $3 billion deal with Fox,” he said.
However, Selig later rejected McCourt’s proposed deal with the TV network, saying it wasn’t in the best interests of baseball.
McCourt hoped Selig would sign off on the transaction that would have provided him with $385 million up front and was vital to a binding settlement reached last week between him and his ex-wife, former Dodgers CEO Jamie McCourt. Frank McCourt now faces the potential of missing a team payroll Thursday without the TV funds and that could lead to a MLB takeover of the team.
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