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Will Magic Johnson bring fans back to Dodgers games? [poll]

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So Magic Johnson is in, Frank McCourt is out and Dodgers fans will be flocking back to Chavez Ravine in 2012. Right?

That’s got to be the assumption, isn’t it? Johnson is part of the ownership group that won the right to purchase the Dodgers from McCourt on Tuesday night. And everyone in L.A. loves Magic, with that trademark smile and all those NBA championship rings he won with the “Showtime”-era Lakers.

Plus, pretty much everyone in L.A. hates McCourt; at least that’s the way it has seemed the last couple of years as he drove the team into bankruptcy and the fans away from the stadium.

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But is the ownership change enough to heal old wounds and bring back the fans? Keep in mind that as beloved as Johnson is, he is only a minority owner in the team. If the deal closes as expected, the controlling owner would be Mark Walter, chief executive officer of Guggenheim Partners, a Chicago-based financial services company.

Another part-owner, Stan Kasten, former president of the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals, would run the team. But Johnson will clearly be the face of the franchise, which may be more than enough for many Dodgers fans.

One other thing to keep in mind, though, is that McCourt isn’t going away completely. The soon-to-be former Dodgers owner, who had been seeking to retain control of the parking lots surrounding the stadium, will team with “certain affiliates” of the new ownership in “a joint venture, which will acquire the Chavez Ravine property for an additional $150 million,” it was announced Tuesday night.

The Times’ Bill Shaikin translated: “Johnson’s group will control the parking lots for Dodgers games and work with McCourt on any future development.” That doesn’t sound so bad, does it?

So what do you think? Are you ready to flock back to Dodger Stadium and support the Boys in Blue like nothing ever happened? Or have you moved on and not even Johnson’s charm is enough to lure you back?

Vote in the poll, then leave a comment letting us know why you voted the way you did.

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