Thoughts and Conclusion

Although I consider myself a lifelong Dodgers fan,  keeping such a close eye on the team over the last five weeks has given me a newfound appreciation for covering a beat and writing in general. There was a time not too long ago when I forgot how fun and fulfilling it could be to do something that I truly love.

Despite the fact that I chose the LA Times and ESPN as the primary news sources for the blog, I nonetheless kept an eye out for any and all things Dodgers.

ESPN has done a magnificent job of providing a complete package with their coverage, no doubt facilitated by their towering presence in every mass medium.

However, The LA Times has been at the forefront of this story since the beginning, and continues to break new developments. The Times may not be as big as ESPN and have a presence in television, radio, the web, and print, but that has not prevented them from providing its readers with top notch journalism at every step of the way.

As I continue my pursuit to establish a career in journalism, I plan to model my writing after that of the Times and other print mediums that have allowed journalism to become what is today.

The Clock is Ticking on McCourt, MLB

With the May 31 payroll rapidly approaching and Dodgers owner Frank McCourt still in need of money, Commissioner Bud Selig said that there is no timetable on when Major League Baseball’s investigation into the team’s finances will be completed.

“We’re moving as fast as we can,” Selig told reporters at the conclusion of baseball’s quarterly meetings.

McCourt finally got the face-to-face meeting with Selig that he had long sought, although no significant progress was made. “I just emphasized the importance of timing,” McCourt said, referring to the Fox television deal sitting on Selig’s desk that is essential to making payroll.

McCourt has said that Selig has a ‘predetermined’ agenda to force him out as owner, a claim that Selig has continually denied.

“No. 1, the outcome is not predetermined,” Selig said. “People can say whatever they want, but it is not predetermined. I’ll anxiously await the reports from both parties, Proskauer and Tom Schieffer. Certainly, the reports will be very important, no question.”

Schieffer was appointed trustee in charge of day-to-day operations of the Dodgers by MLB on April 21, an appointment that has not sat well with McCourt.

“I gave up worrying about owners about 18 years ago,” Selig said

The Los Angeles Times ran a headline that read “Selig says no stalling on Dodgers.” It is a strong news lead that includes all the information a reader would want to know. The subhead works as a perfect complement to an already strong headline.

The Times’ lead is 37 words long and identifies the who, what, and how. The nut graf is a quote from Selig. The story includes quotes from Selig and McCourt.

ESPN’s headline was a bit more subtle, reading “Bud Selig, Frank McCourt meet.” There is no sub head and the lead is 46 words long, and gives the who, what, where, and why.

The nut graf provides some background on the entire story. There are quotes from Selig and McCourt’s lawyer, Robert Sacks.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/news/story?id=6533748

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/12/sports/la-sp-dodgers-mccourt-mlb-20110513

McCourt Too Poor to Pay Players

The Los Angeles Times reported on May 4 that the Dodgers do not have enough money to cover payroll through the end of the month, further complicating matters for owner Frank McCourt in his attempt to regain control of the Dodgers.

If McCourt does not meet payroll, Major League Baseball would cover the costs and then be entitled to seize the team and put it up for sale.

McCourt contends that the payroll would not be an issue if commissioner Bud Selig would simply approve a media rights package with Fox that could be worth in excess of $3 billion, with an up front payment of $300 million.

“That is a transaction that is now completely negotiated, ready to be signed, and ready to be closed,” he said. “It’s the series of delays in allowing us to close this transaction that has created the problem here.”

According to MLB executive Rob Manfred, Selig will not accept or reject the Fox proposal until after trustee Tom Schieffer finishes his investigation into the Dodgers’ finances.

“It will be a thorough investigation,” Schieffer said. “I would anticipate it would be longer than two weeks.”

McCourt can either seek another loan, similar to the one he got from Fox for $30 million, give up possession of the team, or sue MLB, which remains a strong possibility.

Since the LA Times broke the story, every other news outlet, including ESPN, were forced to follow. The Times’ headline reads, “Dodgers don’t have funds to meet payroll.” It’s a very basic headline that nonetheless draws the reader because of its unusual nature. The subhead is somewhat redundant and really gives the reader no new information.

The LA Times lead is 26 words long and identifies the who, what, and when. The nutgraf attributes the information in the lead, and the story includes a quote from Tom Schieffer. The majority of the story is written based on tips from anonymous sources, which might not be considered conventional journalism but is a common practice in sports reporting.

ESPN’s story followed the LA Times. “Reports: Dodgers lack payroll funds,” said its headline.

ESPN went with a 24 word basic news lead that includes the who and what. The second paragraph (nut graf) gives credit to the LA Times for breaking the story.

One thing ESPN includes in its story that the Times does not is reaction from McCourt. The owner joined an ESPN Radio program to tell his side of the story.

Although ESPN provided a more complete, well-rounded account, the LA Times was the one who broke the story and therefore deserves the majority of the credit.

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/03/sports/la-sp-0504-dodgers-mlb-payroll-20110504

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/news/story?id=6473682

Defiant McCourt Challenges MLB, Selig

Frustrated with Major League Baseball’s refusal to approve his television rights deal with Fox, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt pushed back on April 27, accusing Commissioner Bud Selig of having a ‘predetermined’ agenda to take the storied franchise from him during a news conference in New York.

“Nobody handed the Dodgers to me, and nobody is going to take them away,” a defiant McCourt proclaimed.

The Dodgers owner was in New York to meet with baseball officials regarding the status of a proposed 17-year media rights package with Fox. McCourt claims that the deal, which could be worth in excess of $3 billion, would provide $300 million up front, significantly easing the financial strain the club has recently been under.

“The lack of a decision to allow us to do this media transaction is what’s creating all of this noise about the financial duress of the Dodgers,” he said.

McCourt labeled Selig’s takeover “un-American,” calling the entire process an unlawful seizure of property. “There are core values in this country, and fairness is one of them,” he said. “Transparency is another, and private property is another. Thankfully, it’s not appropriate for one person’s property to be seized by somebody else just because they get divorced or just because of some arbitrary reason.”

Tom Schieffer, who was recently appointed as the trustee responsible for overseeing the Dodgers by MLB, responded on a Los Angeles area radio program. “There’s nothing more American than following the law, and that’s what we’re doing in this regard,” he said.

Selig and MLB assumed control of day to day operations of the ball club on April 21, citing bylaws that allow the commissioner to act in “the best interests of baseball,” after the Los Angeles Times reported that McCourt accepted a $30 million loan from Fox in order to cover payroll.

The Los Angeles Times and ESPN both covered the story.

ESPN ran a headline that read “Frank McCourt blasts Bud Selig, MLB,” which essentially summed up the entire story, even if it wasn’t the most creative choice.

The reported opened the story with a basic news lead that was unusually long (58 words). However, it did identify the who, what, where, when, and why. Some of the content could have been moved to the second paragraph (nut graf), which was only one sentence.

ESPN used three principle sources in its story; McCourt, Schieffer, and MLB executive vice president Rob Manfred.

The LA Times’ headline read “McCourt digs in,” which, although not as information laden as ESPN’s, created enough of an interest to make a person read on. The headline was also helped by the subhead, which said, “Dodgers owner says Selig has ‘predetermined’ agenda to oust him.” Combined, these two headlines provided a reader with enough information to know what the story is about.

A basic news lead that ran a tight 29 words made this a lot easier to digest than ESPN’s. 29 was enough words to identify the who, what, when, and why.

For the nut graf, the Times went with what was the most powerful and engaging quote of the entire news conference, letting it stand alone, to be absorbed by the reader.

The Times included quotes from McCourt, Schieffer, and Manfred, as well as an anonymous source identified simply as “A person familiar with Selig’s thinking.”

While ESPN produced a well-crafted story that provided the reader with enough background to understand the context of the quotes, The LA Times delivered a better story, largely due to their powerful nut graf.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/news/story?id=6438822

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0428-dodgers-mccourt-selig-20110428,0,1018679.story

Selig Appoints Trustee to Oversee Dodgers

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig appointed former Texas Rangers president Tom Schieffer to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Dodgers on April 25, adding another twist to the soap opera that has become the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“We are very fortunate to have someone of Tom Schieffer’s stature monitor the operations of the Los Angeles Dodgers on behalf of Major League Baseball,” said Selig in a statement. “Tom is a distinguished public servant who has represented the nation with excellence and has demonstrated extraordinary leadership throughout his career. The many years that he has spent managing the operations of a successful franchise will benefit the Dodgers and Major League Baseball as a whole.”

Shieffer worked for the Rangers from 1991-99 and later joined President George W. Bush’s administration, first as ambassador to Australia and later Japan.

“I love baseball and baseball called,” said Shieffer. “I look forward to helping Major League Baseball and the Los Angeles Dodgers through this difficult period.”

ESPN and the Los Angeles Times both ran stories about the announcement, although they each took different directions.

ESPN’s headline read “J. Thomas Schieffer to run Dodgers.”  Although a little bland, the headline works because it gives the reader insight into what the story is going to be about.

The lead, which is a basic news lead, runs 29 words and identifies the who, what, and when. The nut graf provides background necessary to understand the story.

ESPN includes quotes from four different sources, including Selig, Schieffer, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, and Dodgers third baseman Casey Blake.

The Los Angeles Times ran the headline “Tom Schieffer will oversee the Dodgers.” Although similar to ESPN’s, this headline is slightly more accurate in that it says Schieffer will oversee the ballclub as opposed to running it.

The basic news lead is 29 words long and provides the reader with the who, what, and where. The nut graf in this story expands on the lead and explains Schieffer’s duties a little more in depth.

The Times failed its readers and is guilty of lazy reporting for simply reposting Selig’s statement and not getting reaction from those that might be directly affected, including the players.

For this reason, ESPN did a far better job of providing a complete story.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/news/story?id=6426119

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-dodgers-0425-m,0,7809895.story

Dodgers Executive Calls Takeover "Irresponsible"

Newly hired Dodgers executive Steve Soboroff tore into Major League Baseball and Commissioner Bud Selig for their decision to seize day-to-day operations of the ballclub, calling the move “irresponsible.”

Soboroff came to the aid of owner Frank McCourt, who recently appointed him vice chairman, by saying that the Dodgers were in good shape financially, pending MLB’s approval of a new media rights package with Fox.

“This is like having money in the bank and having somebody hold your ATM card,” Soboroff said. “The money is in the bank. The Fox deal is done. These actions are not allowing him to access money. That’s a lot different than saying he’s got financial problems.”

Soboroff also lambasted Selig’s delay in appointing a trustee for the club.

“To me, if you’re going to send somebody out here to take something over, you don’t write a letter that says, ‘Gee whiz, here’s all these problems with you and here’s everything else, but don’t worry, later on in the week we’re going to send somebody else out,’” Soboroff said. “You do it the same day…what are you supposed to do for four days?”

ESPN and the Los Angeles Times covered the event and their coverage differed in some ways.

ESPN’s headline was “Steve Soboroff rips Bud Selig.” This particular headline left much to be desired because it is assuming people know whom Steve Soboroff is and how he is connected to the Dodgers.

ESPN’s lead is a basic news lead, 33 words long, and identifies the who, what, when, and how. The nut graf expands on the lead, specifically Soboroff’s background and his exact thoughts on MLB’s takeover of the Dodgers.

The story includes quotes seven people in total, including Soboroff, Selig, General Manager Ned Coletti, and former manager Joe Torre.

The Los Angeles Times headline reads “Soboroff blasts takeover, defends McCourt.” Much like ESPN’s, this headline can be confusing to readers because the majority are probably not aware of Soboroff’s connection with the Dodgers.

The lead is 38 words long and gives the who, what, and why. The nut graf expands on the lead by telling the reader what Soboroff said.

The LA Times expands on ESPN’s story by adding that the Dodgers were prepared to offer their head security position to someone, but were forced to submit the name and wait for approval from MLB. In addition, the Times talked to a sports industry banker, who presented the many possible outcomes of MLB’s takeover.

The Los Angeles Times provided the most complete coverage of this event, trumping ESPN by providing additional information that makes the story complete.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/news/story?id=6404728

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/21/sports/la-sp-dodgers-owner-20110422

MLB To McCourt: "We're Taking the Dodgers"

Major League Baseball informed Dodgers owner Frank McCourt on April 20 that it was seizing control of the day-to-day operations of the franchise and that it would appoint a trustee to oversee all aspects of the business.

McCourt’s ongoing legal battle with his wife, Jamie, for control of the Dodgers seems to have no end in sight. The proceedings have hamstrung the ballclub financially and reduced the once proud franchise to somewhat of a laughingstock among the rest of baseball.

“I have taken this action because of my deep concerns regarding the finances and operations of the Dodgers and to protect the best interests of the club,” Said commissioner Bud Selig in a statement.

Two media outlets closely covering the story are the Los Angeles Times and ESPN. Each provided comprehensive coverage in its own distinct way.

ESPN started with a basic news lead that provided the who, what, and where. It left a lot to be desired, but thankfully the nut graf expands on the lackluster lead by explaining how the Dodgers put themselves in their situation.

ESPN includes quotes from a wide variety of sources (12 in all), including Selig, McCourt, and former manager Tom Lasorda.

The ESPN stories’ primary sources are the two statements released by Selig and McCourt, and a lot of reaction from people connected in some way. ESPN does a masterful job of diversifying the variety of quotes and sources, blending in reaction from current and former players, the general manager, purported half owner Jamie, and even a fan.

The Los Angeles Times has a basic news lead that is 43 words long. Although it is longer than the typical lead, it is a lot more informative than that of ESPN. It summarizes the who, what, and why. The nut graf successfully transitions from the lead and further expands on it.

The LA Times story has quotes from a community leader, Selig, Jamie McCourt, and current player Matt Kemp. There is no mention of Frank McCourt’s statement in the story, which is both unacceptable and also boggles the mind. Whoever edited this story really dropped the ball.

Based on this alone, ESPN provided the most complete coverage of this story. The LA Times provided excellent background to explain to the reader how the situation came to be, but not including McCourt’s statement makes it seem like they have some sort of hidden agenda, even if that is not the case.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/news/story?id=6397488

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/21/sports/la-sp-0421-mlb-dodgers-20110421

Background and Purpose

From the moment they packed their bags and moved west in 1958, the Dodgers have been a beloved Los Angeles institution. In the fifty plus years they have been part of the community, the Dodgers have formed a strong bond with residents of the city and attained a following that is among the most loyal in all of sports.

In 2004, Boston real estate developer Frank McCourt and his wife, Jamie, purchased the club from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. in a highly leveraged deal valued at $430 million.

McCourt’s tenure as Dodgers owner has been fraught with problems from the moment he took over the team. Although they have had some success on the field (playoff appearances in 4 of the 7 years McCourt has been owner), there have nonetheless been numerous issues and decisions that have called into question his ability to successfully run the team.

Everything came to a head in October 2009, when McCourt filed for divorce from his wife. Documents and court testimony revealed that McCourt and his wife had been taking money from the Dodgers for personal use, including the purchase of side-by-side homes in Brentwood and Malibu.

As a result, McCourt and the Dodgers are now more than $400 million in debt, which has severely hampered the club’s ability to attract top players and make necessary improvements to a stadium that is now the third oldest in baseball.

On April 21, Major League Baseball took control of the Dodgers after it was reported that McCourt accepted a $30 million loan from FOX in order to cover payroll.

As a resident of Los Angeles and a lifelong fan, I am very interested in what will happen to a franchise that was once among the proudest and most respected in Major League Baseball.