Jenner & Block is representing News Corporation’s Fox Sports as litigation counsel, in a dispute between the broadcaster and the Los Angeles Dodgers over the planned sale of the team and its assets, including media rights.

Fox Sports regional Prime Ticket sports network has the current contract with the franchise, giving Fox the exclusive right to broadcast the Dodgers’ regular season games through the end of the 2013 baseball season.  The contract also gives Fox the exclusive right, through November 30, 2012, to negotiate a renewed local-media deal with the team.  

However, on November 2, 2011, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig announced that the team would be sold in an effort to resolve its Chapter 11 reorganization, which was filed in June.  The agreement between McCourt and the MLB would allow separate bids to be taken for the team and its television rights, which are its most valuable asset.  The Dodgers are now requesting Bankruptcy Court approval to immediately start talking to potential buyers of the TV rights for the 2014 season and beyond, while negotiating with Fox for only 45 days.

Fox, which at one time owned the Dodgers, is seeking to block any early sale or negotiations of the media rights.  The litigation is in the United States Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware. 

The Jenner & Block team on the matter is led by Partner Richard L. Stone and includes Partners Amy M. Gallegos, Kenneth K. Lee and Julie Ann Shepard and Associate Kelly M. Morrison.