Divorce McCourt Reveals Dodger Debt

The divorce trial of Frank and Jamie McCourt continues to unfold in Los Angeles, and not unlike a young child, the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to be stuck in the middle.

The latest news involving the trial and the iconic franchise came out yesterday, as documents show that Frank McCourt has heavily leveraged the franchise to the tune of $433 million, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

The number is staggering on its own, but more so when it is taken into consideration that McCourt paid $430 million for the club in 2004.

Among the leverages was a $60 million loan taken out against the parking lots surrounding Dodger Stadium.

The end game is that the debt load has made a significant impact on the team's ability to sign players and how those players will be paid. Of note is the recent spotlight on Manny Ramirez, who was waived by the Dodgers and picked up by the Chicago White Sox. His headline-grabbing $45 million contract featured deferred payments through 2013.

The report goes on to say that the team is so over-leveraged that Frank McCourt was turned down for financing by Citibank, a Chinese investment group and infomercial pioneer Bill Guthy.

The Chinese deal would have involved Frank running an international venture consisting of the Dodgers and a pair of soccer teams--one in Beijing soccer team and one from the English Premier League.