NEW YORK (AP) - About 12 groups submitted initial bids to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers from Frank McCourt, several people familiar with the process said Tuesday.
Among the bidders were Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former YES Network chief executive officer Leo Hindery, two people said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the bids were to remain confidential.
One of the people also confirmed a Los Angeles Times report that Stan Kroenke was involved in the bidding. Kroenke already controls the NFL’s St. Louis Rams, the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, Arsenal of the English Premier League and Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids.
Hindery’s bid, made with Marc Utay, was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Bidders said they were waiting to hear from Blackstone Group, which is representing McCourt, what the next step in the process will be. Blackstone may ask Major League Baseball to conduct due diligence on up to 10 bidders, with each chosen group paying MLB $25,000 to cover baseball’s costs.
McCourt is to pick his chosen owner by early April, with Major League Baseball approving the sale in time for a transfer by April 30, the day McCourt must pay former wife Jamie a $131 million divorce settlement.
Some of the other groups include former Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson, former Dodgers manager Joe Torre, former Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley and former agent Dennis Gilbert.
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