Tribune has favorite bidder for Cubs

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Executives of Tribune Co., which owns the Los Angeles Times among other media properties, have apparently picked a favorite among the three bids for the Chicago Cubs, a source told the Chicago Tribune’s Michael Oneal and Ameet Sachdev.

The bidders are the Ricketts family, who started online brokerage TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.; Chicago real estate executive Hersch Klaff; and a group led by Marc Utay, a New York private-equity investor.

That recommendation has been given to the unsecured creditors committee in Tribune’s bankruptcy case. That committee is meeting today. The creditors have no official veto power over the sale of the Cubs or Wrigley Field. But sources told the Chicago Tribune that the company wants to get the committee’s consent to keep the case friendly.

-- Debbie Goffa