BK Judge to Allow Faux Sale of TV Rights

This is big news in the Bankruptcy case. The U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross agrees to allow the Dodgers to sell the TV rights- to the consternation of Fox. Via Steve Dilbeck at LA Times. Furthermore,

Fox Sports now has until Jan. 14 to negotiate a new television contract with the Dodgers, after which the team can entertain bids from other potential broadcast partners.

However, Fox plans to seek a 14-day stay of Gross' ruling and file an appeal as well, Fox attorney Gregory Werkheiser said.

Dodgers attorney Bruce Bennett said he hoped to reach an agreement with Fox that would satisfy the company that it could pursue a stay and proceed with negotiations at the same time. The parties are expected to resume mediation as well.

This likely means a huge sales price for McCourt, while allowing him the ability to retain ownership of the parking lots, and (assuming Fox does not sign a new contract) could potentially open up a lawsuit against the new Dodgers owners for damages if Fox's Prime Ticket folds shop. Here's the kicker, though, according to the LA Times article.

The bidder would not be obligated to proceed with that contract.

So, since there is no real obligation to accept the contract negotiated during the BK process a second bidding process for the TV rights might be in order after the conclusion of the sale of the team, and/or a lawsuit enforcing the original TV contract that provides Fox a 1st right of refusal.

In other words, the TV Rights sale is no sale at all. It is only a mechanism to allow the future owner to have a better idea what the value of those TV Rights are in a open bidding process.

Does that sound right?

UPDATE: Official statements from both sides can be found here.

Weekend Auto Ops!

This is another busy weekend for Southland area autograph hounds. Here are my top picks. As always, check out my Blue Heaven Calender page for more listings not shown below. Also, always call ahead before attending. Any event can change without notice.

FRIDAY

Tomorrow, Kings winger Trevor Lewis will be signing free autographs at the Sports Chalet in West LA from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM. See Facebook notice here, or from the Kings website. BTW, team mascot Bailey and the ICE Girls will be there also.

Sport Chalet in West LA
11801 West Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Phone: (310) 235-2847

SATURDAY

Personal problems aside, Mike Tyson was the greatest boxer I had ever seen. Absolutely, the best! Well, he's signing autographs at the Frank & Son's 'Nuke the Fridge Con' event this coming Saturday. Comic book legend Stan Lee and other stars will also be in attendance, as well. More information is available here.
Once you're done checking out the crazy in the City of Industry tromp over to Anaheim and check out some Angels signing at the OC Dugout. Mark Langston, Wally Joyner and Mark Trumbo will be there from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. This is a paying event. For Joyner & Langston: 8x10s: $20; Small items: $25; Large Items: $30; Inscriptions: $10. For Trumbo: Small Flats: $40 each; Bats, Jerseys, Equipment, Baseballs, 16x20's: $50 each; Inscriptions: $8 each.

The OC Dugout
1238 S. Beach Blvd. Ste J
Anaheim, CA 92804
Phone: 714-527-6319

SUNDAY

Dodgers rookie Justin Sellers will be signing autographs on Sunday at Valley Sports Cards at 1:00 PM. See more info here. Autos are $20.00 a piece.

Valley Sports Cards
19640 Ventura Blvd.
Tarzana, Ca 91356
Phone: 818-705-2255

(Photo by Harry How/Getty)

Blog Kiosk: 12/8/2011

Panini shared some preview images of their upcoming Baseball set called 2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Baseball cards. Above is the '2 Sports Star' card of top Dodgers prospect Zach Lee.

• James Loney had a run-in with the law last month. TMZ has the story. LA Times has some info also. Apparently, no drugs or alcohol were involved, which portends to something else. On the other hand, Occam's Razor tells me that the toil that comes naturally from being in an accident is the most likely reason for his behavior (crossing fingers, here). Nevertheless, let's speculate. Strangely, he continued to tweet. Assuming this is actually him, on the day of the incident he wrote this (likely before the confrontation):It seems obvious that something important happened- a growing experience of some sort. What is it? Who knows? Maybe he was tweeting while driving. What we do know is that his tweeting didn't stop. Loney continued to tweet daily starting the very next day after his hospitalization. Strange stuff, indeed. Stranger when you consider that he hung out with Charlie Sheen a week later at a charity poker tournament, has a inclination towards self help advise, loved the ESPN film 'Unguarded' that's about a athlete recovering from addiction, and loves wacky radio shows where he slaps a DJ on the butt. All of this after getting arrested for an accident and acting strangely. See, gossip writing can be fun.
• A veiled thread that the Dodgers may be facing a $1Billion lawsuit from Fox, via tweet: @BillShaikin.
• Kirk Gibson will be Grand Marshall of the Fiesta Bowl Parade, via Big League Stew.
• Say hello to the twitter account of Dodgers prospect Logan Bawcom.
  
• Japanese phenom pitcher Yu Darvish to be posted, via MLB Trade Rumors. I'd like to see the Dodgers bid, but I know they won't.
  
• Just another reason to hate the current Dodgers situation. CJ Wilson basically said he is a Dodger fan and would have come here, everything else being equal. (Tweet Link: @jorgearangure)
• Manny Ramirez marketing himself, via tweet: @BobKlap.
• Dodger make Harang signing official, vis Dodgers Press Release.

  "Aaron gives us added depth and another veteran arm to add to our starting rotation," said Colletti. "He had a solid year with the Padres last season and his addition gives us an experienced one through five heading into Spring Training."

• Here is an old video from the Matt Kemp contract announcement. He declares that his bow tie is a clip on. LOL!

Video Link:

Sandy Koufax's Tropicana Was a Rock'n Place

At first I wasn't very excited about this postcard I saw on eBay. Sure, it advertises Sandy Koufax's Tropicana Motor Hotel in Hollywood, but failed to show Sandy anywhere on it. So, I initially didn't see the big deal. But then I wondered, why was it listed at nearly $500.00? So, I figured I should do a little bit of research on this establishment just in case something interesting popped up, and... well... something fascinating immediately emerged.

Sandy Koufax's Tropicana was a renowned Rock 'n Roll landmark. From 'Tales from the Tropicana Motel' we learn this:

In 1963 the motel was sold to its fourth owner, soon-to-be Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, strikeout artist of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Being a smart businessman, he immediately changed the sign to read “Sandy Koufax’s Tropicana Motel,” which brought in a whole new clientele. The culture shifted, too, and the movie stars morphed into television stars and rock gods. From 1963 onward, the Trop functioned as a boho playground, pioneered by Jim Morrison of the Doors, who hung around the Palms, a low-rent (and nearly as infamous) dyke bar located directly across the street from the Tropicana. He would drink there all night before stumbling across the street to pass out. Mornings after, he’d write many of the songs that became hits for the Doors. Waves of other musicians arrived and followed the same hit-making formula. The motel was also the site of numerous photo sessions and legendary band interviews, and it served as the location for the Andy Warhol films Heat and Trash. The party kept going until 1988, when the building was razed and replaced with a Ramada Inn.

Holy Moly! You can get from Jim Morrison to Sandy Koufax in one degree of separation.

Former residents and guest include the who's who of rock music. Morrison lived there for an extended time, and so did Tom Waits. Janis Joplin (who was found dead there), Lou Reed, Johnny Cash, Blondie, Elvis Costello, Van Morrison, the Ramones, the New York dolls, the Cramps, Bruce Springstein, Eddie Cochran, the Beach Boys, Jim McGuinn of the Byrds, poets William Burroughs and Alan Ginsburg, Dennis Hopper, Evel Knievel, Iggy Pop, the Damned, the Clash, the Germs, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns and Roses, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Alice Cooper, KROQ's Rodney Bingenheimer, and Frank Zappa were frequent guest and partiers at the Tropicana.

I have no idea how long Koufax owned the hotel. It's likely he didn't run the place for very long. Nevertheless, he will always be connected to a rich musical history. His establishment was the stomping group for many artist and musicians who would soon become major international stars. Like Sandy, many of them would eventually be enshrined in their own Hall of Fame.

Check out some great information on the hotel in the links below:

• Tales from the Tropicana Motel
• Facebook: The Infamous Tropicana Motel Hollywood
• Go Go Notes

(Auction Link)

BTW, here is another postcard from the Tropicana that does feature a dapper Sandy Koufax. Still, $500.00 for the above postcards is a large overreach. Anyone know where I can find a copy at a more affordable and reasonable price?

Beckett Previews 2012 Topps Gold Rush Cards

Topps provided Beckett with an exclusive look at another subset that will come out in conjunction with their upcoming 2012 Topps flagship Baseball card set. It is called Gold Rush. From Beckett:

While there will be actual gold found in dem der packs, there also will be Gold Rush cards next year as part of a wrapper redemption program done in conjunction with the MLBPA. It goes along with the online Golden Giveaway, which requires code cards found inside packs and, of course, can found along with cards that contain real gold.

Above is a Sandy Koufax autograph card and below is a Matt Kemp autographed card. 2012 looks like it will an exciting year for cards.