The two sides are barred by contractual restrictions from entering into formal negotiations until later this fall, but according to Reuters, they are informally laying groundwork for a possible new broadcast rights deal.
Former owner Frank McCourt, in an effort to acquire operating capital and keep control of the team, had struck a deal that would have paid the Dodgers $3B over 20 years, but it was rejected by Major League Baseball, which determined that the sale was not in the best interests of the team, and therefore also not in the best interests of MLB.
It can be argued that MLB was correct, if Reuters is right that a multi-billion pact likely to result from the talks will easily exceed the McCourt deal’s value.
Time Warner Cable is also interested in rights to the team, which will likely include both English-language and Spanish-language broadcasts.
According to Reuters, the eventual winner may be looking at a price tag in the neighborhood of $4B.
