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| The Lakers legend has reportedly bid on the Dodgers (Getty Images) |
Good news: the deadline to submit bids finally passed so we just took a major step closer to the finish line.
The Los Angeles Times reports that two major figures in professional basketball -- Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson -- were among the "more than 10" bidders.
Outgoing owner Frank McCourt expects the Dodgers to sell for at least $1.5 billion.Both Cuban and Johnson have been linked to the Dodgers, a franchise that has gone through financial crisis following the divorce of the McCourts, for months. Cuban's interest goes back to at least June 2011 although he recently said that he would not bid $1 billion for the club.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban submitted a bid by Monday's deadline, as did East Coast hedge fund giant Steven Cohen and former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley.
Several groups also turned in bids, including those involving Magic Johnson and longtime baseball executive Stan Kasten; Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso and former Dodgers manager Joe Torre; Los Angeles investor Stanley Gold and the family of the late Roy Disney; and former agent Dennis Gilbert and Los Angeles investors Jason Reese and Randy Wooster.
"At that price, I wasn't interested," Cuban said. "I don't think the Dodgers franchise is worth twice what the [Texas] Rangers are worth."
Johnson's interest in the club dates to August 2011.
"If the Dodgers ever came up for sale," Johnson said in August, "Would I take a look at it with some other people? Of course you would look at it. Because the brand is so strong. As we speak today, they do have an owner. It's never good to talk about an organization that already has an owner. I will say this: the Dodgers brand is amazing. The O'Malley family were great owners."
Hat tip: IAmAGM.com.
