One of the negative side effects of the McCourt ownership that manifested itself in 2011 was reduced fan interest in the team, as the Los Angeles Dodgers sold under 3 million tickets for the first time in 11 years. Now that Frank McCourt has agreed to sell the Dodgers, one of the first concerns for a new owner will be to restore fan interest and excitement.
Having two franchise greats as front men probably won't hurt in that regard. Steve Garvey and Orel Hershiser are part of a group that wants to purchase the club, reported Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles:
Garvey said his group needed to examine the Dodgers current financial situation before submitting an offer for the team.
"We feel we're capitalized to be in the game. We don't know what the final number will be," he said. "We have to be able to look at the books, look at future potential revenues and make a sound business decision. With that said, this is a baseball deal for us.
Garvey, who played for the Dodgers from 1969-1982, was a part of the community relations department for the Dodgers for 15 years before getting fired for his very public comments about his willingness to purchase the club and the state of current ownership.
Shelburne also reported that there are other former Dodgers in the investment group but have been quiet because of their current association with the team. Ron Cey and Lou Johnson are among other former Dodgers currently employed by the club in the community relations department.
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