BOSTON -- Major League Baseball has approved eight groups to bid on the Boston Red Sox, including a group led by television producer Tom Werner and skiing executive Leslie Otten, The Boston Globe reported.

Werner is co-founder of the independent television company Carsey-Werner, which produced "The Cosby Show," "Roseanne" and "Third Rock from the Sun." From 1990 to 1994, he was managing partner of the San Diego Padres.

Otten built American Skiing Co., which started with Sunday River in Maine and includes eight other resorts from Maine to California. Otten resigned as the company's chairman and chief executive after the company became burdened by debt.

Quoting sources, the Globe also reported that Delaware North chief Jeremy Jacobs also qualified to bid. Jacobs owns the Boston Bruins and the FleetCenter. He's also already in business with the Red Sox as joint owner of the New England Sports Network.

The list of other approved bidders, according to the Globe, includes: EMC co-founder Roger Marino, and Cablevision chairman Charles Dolan, Belmont businessman Joseph P. O'Donnell, and Aramark Corp., the concessionaire at Fenway Park and one of the team's limited partners.