Officials, McCourt Discuss Financing

Boston real estate developer Frank McCourt and his wife, Jamie, addressed questions about the proposed financing of their bid to buy the Dodgers during a meeting in New York on Monday with major league officials and members of baseball’s ownership committee.

Baseball sources said the McCourts also participated in a subsequent conference call with other members of the ownership committee, whose endorsement or rejection is tantamount to a vote of the full ownership.

The baseball sources said that some major league owners continue to have concerns about the McCourt’s highly leveraged proposal and that the committee may seek to have aspects of the $430-million transaction restructured. But Major League Baseball officials and an individual close to the McCourts said Monday’s discussions were more of an information exchange.

“There were no requests to change the structure,” insisted the individual close to the McCourts. “It was very positive.”

The McCourts have proposed purchasing the Dodgers almost totally on loans from two to four banks, News Corp. (which owns the Dodgers) and Aramark, one of Dodger Stadium’s two concessionaires. If the ownership committee approves the proposal, the McCourts could assume control of the club after the full ownership -- three-fourths of the 30 clubs have to approve -- votes, possibly at an owners meeting in Phoenix on Jan. 14-15.

The McCourt bid has not been put on the agenda yet, but a baseball official said Commissioner Bud Selig won’t set the agenda until after the holidays, or until the ownership committee has more time to analyze the proposal and address any concerns.

According to the McCourts’ agreement in principle with News Corp., they have until Jan. 31 to complete all aspects of the purchase.