The Following is Being Issued by the William C. Velasquez Institute: Latino Leaders Urge Baseball Commissioner Selig to Focus Attention on Baseball, Not L.A. Dodgers Owner

LOS ANGELES, June 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A growing number of Latino organizations are speaking out in support of embattled Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, arguing that McCourt and the Dodgers have done more for the Latino community and communities of color than the last Dodger owners combined.  Citing the building of one dozen "Dream Fields" in inner-city neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles and the Dodger's philanthropic efforts to literally thousands of organizations, Latino leaders spoke out in support of McCourt.

"In seven short years, Frank McCourt has improved previously weak relations with the Latino community by being accessible and by investing his money in our community and other communities of color," said former Congressman and Ambassador Esteban Torres.  "He has built a dozen state-of-the-art 'Dream Fields', and has donated to literally thousands of worthwhile organizations.  He didn't have to do these things, he chose to, and that's what separates him from a number of folks, including previous Dodgers owners."

At the same time Latino leaders were quick to take issue with Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig's handling of the Dodgers. According to recent news reports, the Dodgers and eight other baseball teams have been reported to be in violation of Major League Baseball's debt service rules, including the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and Washington Nationals.

"Rather than focus his attention on understanding why at least nine major league baseball teams have financial issues, it appears that Selig's very personal mission is the ousting of McCourt in a very public and insensitive manner," said Angela Sanbrano, President of the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC).  "Frankly, it seems that the recent financial issues with the Dodgers are more of Selig's making than Dodger owner McCourt.  Maybe its time that people begin to ask questions about Selig's motivations."

In all more than a dozen organizations, representing hundreds of thousands of Latinos from the greater Los Angeles County area, have come together to support Dodger owner Frank McCourt.  They include the William C. Velasquez Institute, MALDEF, Mexican American Political Association (MAPA), Community Union (CU), Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Anahuak Youth Sports Association, National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC), National Day Laborers Organizing Network (NDLON), Council of Mexican Federations (COFEM), and Centaur North.

Latino leaders were quick to draw a comparison between McCourt's responsiveness and accessibility to the Latino community with Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig's record of turning a blind eye to the concerns of the community. Leaders also pointed to the NBA and its willingness to allow the Phoenix Suns to change their jerseys to "Los Suns", in opposition to Arizona's SB 1070. When communities across the country called upon Selig to move baseball's All-Star game from Phoenix (scheduled for July of 2011), Selig refused.

"Selig has turned a cold shoulder to the Latino community," said Antonio Gonzalez, President of the William C. Velasquez Institute (WCVI). "He was silent on SB 1070. He refused to even consider moving the All-Star game from Phoenix, Arizona. He sat silent while Carlos Santana was booed in Georgia for taking a stand in opposition to Georgia's version of SB 1070, and his generic response to our May 13, 2011 letter to him was inacceptable. We formally request a meeting with Commissioner Selig."

In their letter to Selig, Latino leaders asked that Selig rescind his receivership of the Dodgers, approve the capitalization plan proposed by Dodger owner McCourt, and engage the Dodgers in an open and transparent dialogue that will lead to a fair and equitable long-term resolution between Selig and the Dodgers, its fans, and the Latino community.  To date Selig has not substantively addressed the requests.

"The Dodgers are too important to our community and to the greater Los Angeles community. We aren't going to go away. We will fight for our Dodgers against this unwelcome and unwarranted attack by such an insensitive interloper as Bud Selig," concluded Nativo Lopez, President of Mexican American Political Association (MAPA).

SOURCE William C. Velasquez Institute