Baseball, Fox Meet to Discuss Sale of Dodgers

Moving toward a vote on the proposed sale of the Dodgers to the Fox Group, officials of major league baseball and Fox met Thursday at the Fox lot in Century City to discuss the transaction.

Acting Commissioner Bud Selig, National League President Len Coleman and Atlanta Brave chairman Bill Bartholomay, who is chairman of the ownership committee, met with Fox owner Rupert Murdoch and Fox Television Chief Executive Officer Chase Carey in a meeting described by baseball officials as routine.

Neither Fox nor major league baseball would comment on the meeting.

Opposition to the proposed deal and the status of the ownership committee’s evaluation of the package were possible topics of discussion. The ownership committee is expected to push the proposal through in time for the March 17-19 meetings in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Baseball sources said the ownership committee could act on the proposal in time for a phone vote in late February, though that seems unlikely because of the discussion expected to accompany the vote.

In recent weeks, opposition has been expressed by San Diego Padre owner John Moores. But sources said there doesn’t appear to be enough opposition--five National League owners would have to vote against it--to kill the deal.