Los Angeles Dodgers: Is It Possible for the Dodgers To Move Back to Brooklyn?

With Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt in financial trouble while battling his wife in a divorce, from top to bottom the Dodgers organization is reeling. On the field, new manager Don Mattingly has his team playing almost .500 ball, as they will certainly fall short of the playoffs. 

After Bud Selig decided Major League Baseball was going to take over the franchise, it seemed almost imminent that new ownership would eventually take over. With the possibility of new ownership in Los Angeles, the possibilities of the Dodgers' future plans are endless. Could one of those possibilities be a move back to Brooklyn? It’s a topic that is too good to ignore.

Fifty-four years ago, the collective hearts of Brooklyn Dodgers fans were broken when the team announced they would move to Los Angeles. It was a risky move by then-owner Walter O'Malley and certainly an unpopular one for the fans. The Dodgers' inability to get a new stadium deal done in New York was the driving force behind the move. 

O'Malley's decision to move to the West Coast was an innovative one when both the Dodgers and Giants headed west in 1957. The space and deal for a stadium was an easy one to figure out for the Dodgers, and the desire for a team was strong.

With a failure in ownership, that leaves the future of the franchise in question. So what are the chances the team would move back to Brooklyn? Slim to none at best, but it’s a move that would make sense in many ways. It's certainly worth taking the time to sit down and debate.

Mark Cuban's name has been thrown in the mix as a possible buyer as usual, but what about Mikhail Prokhorov? No, he hasn't been linked to the Dodgers at all, but he is certainly a person with enough money to buy another team. Combined with Jay-Z, the two could certainly raise the funds for a move to Brooklyn quickly.

The Russian billionaire has certainly created a buzz over moving the Nets to Brooklyn. But if he, or any owner for that matter, would move the Dodgers to Brooklyn, it would overshadow the Nets easily. The history of the organization still lives through its elder fans, and a return to Brooklyn for the Dodgers could enable the passing on of that history to younger fans. 

Mets fans are possibly the most tortured fans in baseball, having watched the team sell off their best player, Carlos Beltran. Even worse, the Mets will most likely finish below .500 again this year. Much like the Dodgers, the Mets are going through financial difficulties as well that have owner Fred Wilpon trying to sell a stake in the team. 

There's no question that Mets fans are frustrated to say the least and are fed up with the on- and off-field failures of their team. If the Dodgers moved to Brooklyn, it could certainly take fans away from the Mets with the excitement of a new team in town against the shame of the same old story.

Where could the Brooklyn Dodgers play? That might be the toughest part. It's doubtful on its best day, but the idea can be explored.

The Nets have a new arena being built for their arrival in Brooklyn for the 2012-13 season. The arena is not done yet, so it is possible that construction could be altered to accommodate a baseball stadium. A retractable roof is something that would need to be added unless it would be an all-dome stadium.  Certainly with technology in 2011, it’s possible.

A new offer on the table for $1.2 billion to buy the Dodgers would keep them in Los Angeles. The offer was made recently by Los Angeles Marathon founder Bill Burke.

As time moves on, it will be interesting to see if anyone even floats the idea of a move. Until then, it’s fun to speculate that moving to Brooklyn is possible. A homecoming back to Brooklyn for the Dodgers would be one of the most memorable moments in baseball history because of its great nostalgia. 

As a baseball fan, I can only hope I get to see that piece of history take place.

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