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OpEdNews Op Eds    H3'ed 10/26/11

Mlb Files Suit On Manner Of Exposed Finances: As Cba Approaches Expiration

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The premise of the story by the AP and the data Deadspin.com published revolved around the financial statements of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Tampa By Rays and the Seattle Mariners from 2007-2008; the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners from 2008-2009; and a workbook containing a draft of the finances of the Texas Rangers from 2007-2008, which preceded the club's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filed in May 2010.

 

MLB's purpose of its filing for injunctive relief is to force Beazley Co., a Lloyd's of London syndicated company, to admit it broke its confidentiality agreement with MLB. Through the preliminary discovery process, MLB intends to prove Beazley's malfeasance through legal access to Beazley's documentation.

  

Beazley contends it did its own internal audit and has no indication that any person in its organization leaked the financial statements to the press. Therefore, this is but a game of chicken which can only end up with egg on MLB's proverbial face. The deed is done, regardless of whom, of potential thousands of people who may have leaked the information. And ultimately the leaked data could have come from within MLB's very own offices.

 

But the matter of the leaked financial figures, that showed that the aforementioned teams had previously claimed that they were in the red and were actually making a profit, is not the lawsuit's matter of contention. Rather, "The information contained in the financial statements is confidential, and publication of the financial statements is detrimental to MLB, to the teams within its organizational structure, and specifically to the Subject Clubs," according to the filed claim by MLB for injunctive relief.

 

The claim also indicated that 10 MLB teams had handed over confidential financial statements to no less than 20 insurers in 2010. And MLB claims the relevance is because it was looking for liability insurance for its Board of Directors. Why then MLB is so convinced that Beazley is the lone culprit is a mystery. And the connection between the release of financial statements of individual clubs and its liability coverage for its own board remains to be seen.

 

Also important to MLB is that it should be recognized as a private corporation, without any legal obligation to publicly disclose its finances and sources of revenue, or even salaries of its executives -- including Bud Selig's -- unlike that of a publicly held corporation.

 

MLB hides behind "the curtain" in a way not dissimilar to the one used by the Wizard of Oz. And Bud Selig might truly believe, in his own world, that he is not far removed from being the Great and Powerful Oz, himself; accountable to no one.

 

But with the federal anti-trust exemptions that MLB enjoys; the public-private partnerships for taxpayer funded stadiums nationwide; public funds for the necessary infrastructure and garages for such stadiums and tax abatements and tax free bonds issued by municipalities; fan patronage of game tickets, stadium concessions, parking and merchandise, and MLB.TV subscription media; its affiliation with non-profit organizations;   broadcasting contracts with partners over publicly owned airwaves; are but a few that come to mind of "public" entities intertwined within the daily management and businesses of MLB.

 

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Diane M. Grassi is an investigative journalist and reporter providing topical and in-depth articles and analysis on U.S. public policy and governmental affairs, including key federal and state legislation as well as court decisions relative to the (more...)
 
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