Today, after perhaps the most meaningful day of testimony in the divorce trial of Frank and Jamie McCourt, both sides are pushing toward a settlement, although one that would likely keep the Dodgers in McCourt hands for the foreseeable future. Per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times:
In any settlement, Frank would be expected to retain control of the Dodgers and Jamie would be expected to bow out. The McCourts had negotiated before the divorce trial began Aug. 30, but they were hundreds of millions of dollars apart.
Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports has some details of the previous negotiations:
In August, Jamie requested a lump sum (believed to be for less than $100,000 million) and a percentage of the team’s future revenues. Frank rejected it.
Today's testimony revolved around the postnuptial agreement between the McCourts, an agreement which was changed after the fact by an attorney, who testified today. Per ESPN:
Testifying on Tuesday at the couple's Los Angeles divorce trial, Larry Silverstein said he changed the agreement in 2004 after it was signed -- and didn't tell Jamie McCourt the new version gave her husband sole ownership.
Silverstein is expected to continue his testimony tomorrow. Perhaps the thought is that Jamie McCourt is "winning" the trial, but no matter which side "leads" -- using sports terms seems awkward in court proceedings -- leaving the decision up to the judge will result in one side potentially being devastated by the court's decision. Attempting to settle allows both Frank and Jamie McCourt to keep the ownership in the family, such that it can be passed down to their four sons, as both sides have expressed an interest in doing.
Josh Fisher of DodgerDivorce.com reports the details of Friday's court-appointed settlement hearing:
McCourts to go to mediation 9:30 Friday morning in front of Judge Peter Lichtman.
On the day the Dodgers learned their immediate future by getting eliminated from the playoffs, their long-term future is coming closer to being defined.