Wanted: A Dodgers owner who cares

The roster of aspiring Dodgers owners started growing even before the beleaguered Frank McCourt announced that he was willing to sell. Billionaire businessmen, owners of other sports teams, former Dodgers players and venerable former owner Peter O’Malley have all signaled their interest.

Now Magic Johnson, the NBA legend turned successful businessman, has stepped up to the plate. The former Lakers star has assembled an impressive mix of backers with plenty of money as well as baseball executive expertise. Johnson said he wanted to make the game of baseball the priority, over interest in the team’s television rights or the lucrative development of land surrounding Dodger Stadium. And he said he nixed getting involved with any group that didn’t share his view.

Of course, with all these suitors, talk is cheap, and the price of admission to this bidding war is steep: The Dodgers could sell for more than $1 billion. And there is no shortage of ambitious and serious potential buyers.

But it’s heartening to hear Johnson say that an overriding passion for the Dodgers is essential for the next owner. And although it’s not imperative that the ballclub be owned by a local entity, it wouldn’t hurt to have an owner rooted in the community. Johnson has an extensive history as a local investor who helped revitalize South Los Angeles when corporate interests had shunned the area.

The posturing to be the new owner has yet to give way to serious proposals for the position. But whoever buys the Dodgers, whether it’s Johnson or someone else, should share his sensibility on how to run the team. Any new owner should see it as a civic asset, not just a piece of real estate. And it’s good that Johnson has put that premise out there for public discussion.

Most past and prospective owners would argue that they do ascribe to that approach, but it takes determination to act on it. Fox bought the team basically to secure the TV rights. And McCourt, though he cared about the team, got sidetracked into using the Dodgers for his own financial gain.

In a departure from the usual procedure, Major League Baseball officials will not select the next owner of the Dodgers. Instead, they will pre-approve bidders, and McCourt will pick the winner. He will want the best price he can get, but he said recently that he was also looking for an owner committed to the game and the community. Fans would like to see him keep his word on that.