Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
The Los Angeles Dodgers are not for sale and owner Mark Walter won’t part with the storied franchise even after deciding to do so with the Los Angeles Lakers and reportedly exploring giving up his shares of the Chelsea Football Club as well.
It’s a sentiment Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten first expressed on Aug. 12, and again before the series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
“The Dodgers are not being sold, they’re not going to be sold, they’re not for sale. There is no process that has been started to sell, period. We are planning only to win,” Kasten asserted. “That’s what we are always doing, and we are still continuing to do that both this year and we’ve started our planning for next year, which is trickier than usual because we’re not exactly sure what the rules are for next year.
“I just wanted this to be clear because this question keeps coming up. I understand the questions. I do. But as I said to you last time, the Lakers thing was one of those one-of-a-kind things that really has nothing to do with what’s happening with us or the other teams.
“I may be saying a statement to the PWHL (Professional Women’s Hockey League), because they’re not being sold either. Just trying to clarify. I wanted you to hear it definitively that we are not selling the Dodgers and we are continuing with our plans going forward, like we always have had them.
“This comes from Mark. He’s gung-ho about continuing to try to win. Again, including next year, subject to whatever next year’s climate looks like.”
Kasten’s latest comments were made as speculation continues to swirl around Walter’s financial empire due to purported fraud. He is said to face upwards of $20 billion in related loans and liabilities that must be cleared from the books of his insurance entities.
Seemingly in effort to raise capital, Walter reportedly approached Charter Communications with an offer to end the Spectrum SportsNet and SportsNet LA TV deals in exchange for a lump sum.
Kasten declared that report, and Walter’s purported exploring of selling his ownership in Chelsea, as “mischaracterized” but declined to provide an explanation or details behind his stance.
“Let’s wait until it’s over, then you will understand it better. But I understand your concern putting these things together. But those things don’t go together for a bunch of reasons I’m not going to get into today,” Kasten said.
“All I can tell you is what I said a week ago: the Lakers’ sale had nothing to do with the Dodgers, has not impacted the Dodgers and is not going to impact the Dodgers.”
Why Stan Kasten is so confident
Despite the uncertainty seemingly surrounding Walter, Kasten felt comfortable being so emphatic with his remarks because of communication between the two.
“What I can tell you from the guy running the team, knowing how the business is run and what it can support in terms of revenues and expenses, the Dodgers aren’t going anywhere. I feel that very strongly and Mark feels it stronger than I do,” he said.
“I’m 74. I don’t know how long I’m going to be running it, but Mark, I think, is going to be running it a lot longer than I.”
Kasten also stated “nothing involving the Dodgers” is part of the federal investigation into Walter’s business dealings and reiterated the franchise’s solvency or any other aspects of their operation are being impacted.
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