Frank McCourt Jr. held many titles over the years, including major Boston building developer and owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. His most recent title is writer.
The Freedom Project, a $500 million effort to reimagine how the internet works, shared with NBC10 Boston what inspired him to write his new book, “Our Greatest Struggle: Taking Back Freedom, Humanity, and Dignity in the Digital Age.” He also explained why owning the Dodgers was a dream come true despite growing up as a Red Sox fan.
Read lightly edited excerpts from the interview below, and watch the full interview above.
NBC10 Boston: Your new book is titled Our Greatest Struggle: Reclaiming Freedom, Humanity and Dignity in the Digital Age. What prompted you to write it?
Frank McCourt Jr.: The reason I wrote Our Greatest Fight was to draw attention to the Freedom Project, a $500 million effort to reimagine how the internet works and take back control of our humanity from the big tech machine and control of Internet data. This is really about changing the way the Internet works, and by the way, this time, we’re not only letting technology lead the way, but we’re bringing social scientists and computer scientists together, and this time there’s better design, but also better architecture for the future. .
But I was very proud when I brought the Dodgers to Fenway Park and played the Red Sox
Former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt Jr.
You’re from Boston. Your family’s roots in the area date back to the 1800s. What does this city mean to you?
I’m a native Bostonian. When you’re born and raised in Boston, you have a unique view of the world and our country because it starts here, and our view of responsibility. I’m excited to be back in Boston today talking about “Our Biggest Fight” and talking about this job because this is my hometown. This is the community that shaped me.
Boston Harbor has a history, and you used to wish the Red Sox were there. Is this something that’s going to happen for you? As a Boston kid, was ownership still a dream here?
Well, you know, a lot of my dreams have come true. I’m actually a very, very lucky person. I had to own a professional sports team – and they were the Dodgers.
on the wrong side of the country
Yes, exactly. Believe me, believe me, I was very proud when I brought the Dodgers to Fenway Park and played the Red Sox. You know, my hometown team and the team I support and stuff like that. I don’t know what the future holds, but I can tell you that I’m a huge sports fan and sports person and it’s a big part of my life and now, as a father of seven, it’s a big part of my life . The lives of my children.
I love what sports mean to me and the impact it had on me growing up, both being involved in it and supporting my hometown team. The unsuccessful pursuit of the Red Sox led to ownership of the Dodgers and now to ownership of Marseille in European soccer, where if you want to see truly crazy games, go to European soccer.
How did you get involved or interested in European football?
After selling the Dodgers, I realized a childhood dream. I said to myself, if I bought another team, it would be European football, European football. Not only is it the biggest sport in the world, it’s a sport that touches everyone, everywhere. Baseball, it’s a great sport, it’s a sport that I grew up with, but it’s really the national pastime in the United States and it does affect parts of South America and parts of Asia. But it is not a global movement per se.
European soccer, or soccer, is the top player in the sport, so from a sporting perspective, I’m very interested in that. Having a sports team allows you to be exposed to and connected to so many other people and places because you realize that sports are still one of those things that help us build community and connect with other people. You can get into a car in any city, ask the driver who their favorite football club is, and you’ll have a conversation and have something in common.
How do you see yourself outside of your business? Many times we have been defined by what we do. But how would you describe yourself outside of work?
I’m a dad. I am a father, the proud father of seven children, and a husband with a great wife and partner. This is how I define myself.