A common sight at the Coliseum, empty seats.
It’s no secret; the A’s have needed a new stadium for the past 15 years. What’s crazy is there’s still a few cracks from the 89 earthquake. I’ve wanted to break down the whole A’s moving somewhere situation, but I knew it would be a long winded effort. Since the Raiders moved back into town, the Oakland Coliseum has been less than adequate for a baseball team. Brad Ziegler recently tweeted that he was disappointed in the fans for not coming out, and why wouldn’t he be? The A’s sported the lowest attendance in all of baseball averaging a measly 17,392 per game last year. This year they’ve only played 15 games, but still have only averaged 17,056 per game. Ziggy later tweeted “I understand some come in late, but it’s frustrating to be at this level and know that at Triple-A (Rivercats), there are twice as many fans at the game.” I’ve been to both stadiums, and sadly it’s true, the Rivercats are a bigger draw in Sacramento than the A’s are in Oakland, and the crowd is probably louder in Sac too for AAA games. It’s also a reason Mceezy and I feel they would be a nice fit in Sacramento, but the feeling there seems to be that it’s too small of a market to support an MLB franchise. The Rivercats stadium was built in a way that it can be added on to easily, but I’m sure A’s Owner, Lew Wolff, has looked into that option, and most other possible options over the past seven plus years he’s been looking for a new stadium deal. The former owners pretty much sold Wolff the teams majority stake, because they were tired of getting rejected on their new stadium proposals. The saddest part is, that the few fans that are showing up, are being thrown out if they have negative signs ala Washington Redskins style. I don’t buy that Lew Wolff is a Sam Presti, so we can squash that rumor that he hasn’t tried in the city of Oakland. He wants to keep the team in the area, so I think or I’m sure he would’ve tried to move them. He reportedly released a 227 page book on his efforts to stay in Oakland from 2003-2006 when the Freemont deal sort of went through. Either way, the A’s need a new stadium somewhere, and whether that’s going to be in Oakland or not remains to be seen.
I wasn't excited their move to the armpit they call Freemont, but the stadium design did look pretty cool.
Rewind to 2006, the A’s had a deal, a place, investors, a ballpark, and a blueprint to move the team to Freemont in 2011 (can’t believe that would’ve been next year already), but that deal came to a grinding halt. I wasn’t thrilled about the move to Freemont, and still find this youtube clip hilarious of two A’s fans boycotting the move to Freemont by ghost riding the whip, it was an instant classic, and I bring it back out whenever I can. I really do want them to stay in Oakland, but only if we get another stadium approved. I will welcome the move as long as it’s within Northern California. I’m not positive on what legal/city BS that happened behind the scenes to break it all up, but not approving the BART extension that would’ve gotten a lot of fans to and from the park was a major factor. I can’t say I would’ve completely liked the Freemont destination, but it would be much improved from the Coliseum. It’s been nearly four years since they reportedly had the deal for brand new Cisco Field in Freemont, and not much progress has been made in finding a new location or stadium since. In the battle of the “he said she said” between Wolff and the city of Oakland, it really a case of who do you believe? In 2004 and 2005 there were numerous drawn up plans to build a stadium in Oakland, the city seemed to reject every idea that came out, so I don’t think Wolff hasn’t really tried that hard in Oakland for awhile. Recently there’s slightly renewed optimism that the city can get some kind of deal done and build the A’s a new park. I’m VERY skeptical of that happening though. It just seems like both sides aren’t on the same page every time they sit down and try to work something out. It’s sad to say, I don’t think they will be in Oakland forever.
Geographically, San Jose is farther than Oakland
The biggest rumor gaining steam over the last couple years is that the A’s are trying to move to San Jose, and it sounds like Lew Wolff would welcome that move, and so would the city of San Jose. If San Jose supports their perennial playoff hockey team (Sharks), averaging more fans than the A’s at the Coliseum, then I see no reason they wouldn’t latch on and support a baseball team. The common conception is that the San Francisco Giants own the territorial rights to the area, and won’t relinquish them to the A’s. This is true, they do own the rights, but there is a way around it, and that would be to get a majority vote from all of the owners to approve opening up the rights for the A’s to move in, but it has to be initiated by Bud Selig. Not sure why Selig hasn’t called for a vote yet, especially since Wolff and him were “good” college buddies. The one reason we’ve heard is that the Giants may lose revenue from people not making the trip from SJ to see Giants games. Personally, I think the attendance loss would be minimal, since a lot of people in the East Bay would just go see the Giants instead of going down to SJ to see the A’s. In the eyes of other owners, I wouldn’t see why it’s THAT major of a road block, especially because the A’s wouldn’t be leaning on a revenue sharing program as much as they currently do, thus putting more money in all of the owners’ pockets. If you were an owner, wouldn’t you want to have a team at the bottom of the league (in terms of revenue) so they could make themselves more self sufficient? If I was an owner in any city besides SF, I’m sure I’d be down to clip the Giants of their territorial rights when it meant more money in my pocket.
There is no exact reason that I can pinpoint as to why Selig hasn’t called for such a vote. I can only assume that he is scared of getting rejected by the owners, even though it makes tons of sense on so many levels. They can even make the A’s pay reparations to the Giants for lost revenue to make up for taking over the territorial rights. Wolff, in the past has maintained that a move to anywhere in the Bay Area might not make them contenders in the free agent market, but would allow GM Billy Beane to sign some of their players before they jet and become superstars elsewhere.
Cmon Bud, hook a homie from Oaktown up!
I’m pretty sure Lew is the only owner in the league that has to carry around a photo book of all his players to remind him of who they are. It might actually come down to carrying a book with pictures of all the fans in the seats. If they got a stadium, I’m envisioning a situation reminiscent of the way the Minnesota Twins signed Joe Mauer this past year just after getting the stadium christened. We could sign guys like Kurt Suzuki and Brett Anderson, or are we already doomed to see them walk away. From what I understand the main reason he hasn’t called this to a vote is because he assigned a task force to figure out where the A’s would be best off. It’s been a solid 14 months since he asked that task force to look into the A’s issues, and nothing has been reported back to him. Selig has gone out of his way to NOT talk about the A’s situation. It’s been so long now that I’m wondering if Selig just wants to wait out yet another full year. As chances have it, the new CBA would be negotiated probably throughout the 2011 season, and that now brings me to the question/conspiracy theory, are the A’s going to be a casualty of contraction joining MCeezy’s list of defunct franchises? If that’s the case the Rays might be a casualty too, since they are the only other team in the MLB without a stadium deal in place that desperately needs one. I’m scared what the future holds for the A’s…
By
cali4dre
chappy81
dyslecix
mceezy
Doin Work 
May 5th, 2010 at 5:09 am
chappy
The thing to do perhaps is to have the A’s ownership under Wolff have a few pieces of legislation enacted whereby the taxpayer ends up footing the bill for a new stadium within Oakland ? It seemed to have worked for both the Mets and Yankees in New York courtesy of the city’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg . This is the same idiot who decried the Federal government for bailing out Wall St and the automotive industry but somehow managed to have a $2.6 billion bond issue also in line with some rather dubious tax increases that somehow went unnoticed. But yet the public was being told that this was all a privately funded initiative.
Do you think Wolff has the stones to try that approach ? If he does then I’m sure that “Honest Bud ” Selig will back him on his play ! I mean Bud is trying to force the Rays’ hand in Tampa by saying to the organization that they’ll never host an All Star Game unless they have a new facility built. And this at a time when there’s in excess of 10% unemployment statewide and foreclosures on homes are at an unprecedented all-time high within the state. That’s why the majority of owners around the league are so friggin’ dumb ! Never mind the lack of intelligence shown by Selig. Try asking him if he’s prepared to loan the A’s some of that $17.5 million he was paid in ’08 by MLB ?
Alan Parkins
May 5th, 2010 at 10:59 am
Well, I think he’d be able to do that in another city. I have a hard time believing Oakland could support the measure, but as you said maybe they could hide it in some kind of measure. The unemployment in Oakland has to be well above the national average, so it’s not really a good thing for the community, but I’d still be for the sneaky approach. I really hope the A’s and Rays can get new stadiums, but it seems like a lot of things have to fall right for that to happen. It’s sad that I have no hope that Selig will do anything to help. You’d think the other owners would want the A’s and Rays in a more money making friendly situation, so they don’t have to keep giving them money in the revenue sharing program! Guess not…
May 5th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
chappy
When it comes to the the team owners in baseball they’re like vultures swooping down on a defenseless animal ! They simply don’t as they’ll devour their young much like they devour each other.
I mean hell just look at the Yankees and the way they’ve been in large able to buy their way to success by plundering the rosters of other teams ?
Tell me what’s meant to be fair about that when at least 25 other teams don’t have those sort of resources at their disposal ?
What Wolff will now have to do is to seek outside investor help if they’re to get a stadium built. I doubt that any county , city of state agency will want to be on the hook for such an expense at this time. You and I know it but try tellin’ that to an a_shole like Bud Selig .
Alan Parkins
May 5th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
It’s a prime example of Capitalist America, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I’m still holding onto hope that something will get done, but am skeptical at the same time. That’s the weirdest part about the A’s, because Wolff had investors for the Freemont plan, and reportedly would merely have broken even on the first five years of the park being open, unless it was a huge success. They would’ve had to pay the mortgage on the Cisco field at around $18-20M per year… We will see what happens, I hope during the CBA negotiations they push for something positive to happen towards getting a new field for both of these franchises.
May 5th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
chappy
This country is dying on its feet ! There are no longer any real true entrepreneurs . Money and wealth isn’t being through work and productivity but through get rich quick schemes and white collar crime. Just look at the s_it going on with Goldman Sachs at present ? Anyone who believes what they did was above board is an a_s ! After I left the military I spent years working in the derivatives and financial markets. There’s more skullduggery and overt criminal behavior going on there than violent crimes being committed on the streets of the US. The problem is that the Justice Dept , SEC and Congress are far too dumb to figure it all out !
So Antoine Walker wants to return to the NBA ? What the hell for ? We all know he’s broke and so too is his game !
Alan Parkins
May 5th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
These Things We Hold To Be Self Evident And True ……………..Yah Dah, Yah Dah, Ya Dah !
Alan Parkins
May 5th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
chappy
You may well have read this already over at Steve’s site 2oldformaxim ?
May 5th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
I’ve had a Oakland A’s = Cleveland Indians in “Major League” post on the back burner for a while, but you said a lot of it here. I’m really worried that Lew is pulling a Rachel Phelps and just trying to run the team into the ground so attendance will dwindle so a move will seem like less of a travesty. I mean seriously, Kouzmanoff = Dorn, Bailey = Vaughn, Rajai = Willie Mays Hayes, Sheets = Harris, Geren = Lou Brown, and the list goes on. There’s plenty of A’s fans out there, but like with any other team, once you sense your owner is trying to move the team, why stay attached? From 2000-2007, I went to 20+ games per season. Even living in Sac I was going down to Oakland for games. Last year I went to one. I’ve gone to one this year but it’s hard when there’s better talent right in my backyard…. I hate lew wolff…..
May 5th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
They are! We even got the banjo guy that could be those guys beating the drums in the outfield!
Sadly, I was buying the MLB.com subscription the past few years, but this is the first year that I didn’t. I can only point to one reason, management not putting together a team that I want to rally around. Bring up Taylor and Carter, and then I’ll buy a subscription!
May 5th, 2010 at 8:44 pm
mceezy
chappy
Not long after both the Marlins and Rays had entered the league there was call to have “both teams” contracted because of a dwindling fan base. Now both teams have had a reasonable amount of success. And all fingers point to the fact that A’s ownership could seek the route taken by Jeff Loria when he had the Expos . He sold the team to MLB and made out like a friggin’ bandit !
They (MLB) loaned him the money to purchase the Marlins at a bargain basement price and not only that they’d overpaid in the purchase of the Expos. Talk about a conflict of interest or what ?
Can anyone actually trust Bud Selig to be honest for once ?
Alan Parkins
May 6th, 2010 at 10:10 am
Nope, can’t trust Selig, and since Selig and Wolff are college buddies, maybe Wolff is trying to pull the same thing the Expos did, and just get paid off from the league. Oh wait, he is already doing that from the revenue sharing program 🙂
May 6th, 2010 at 10:37 am
chappy
Selig and Wolff college buddies ? No doubt Skull & Bone or Masons ? Scary thing is we’ve got to wait one more year before Selig steps down as commissioner . How much more damage can he wreak on the game before these idiots owners do something ?
People say big government harms the country but how ’bout morons like Selig and DuPuy who essentially run or I mean have ruined the game of baseball as we know it ? And of course there is your favorite sports agent to be thrown in there as well , Scott Boras .
That triumvirate has brought as much and wreaked as much havoc on the game the union combined with their own idiocy as well !
Alan Parkins
May 6th, 2010 at 10:52 am
Yeah, I can’t remember the exact story, but I remember reading that they were in the same fraternity at the same school or something like that, and are still friends to this day. I hope he steps down, he really didn’t need to let guys juice it up even after that strike. Do you know if it’s for sure that he’s done next year?
There weren’t a lot of people going to the games after the strike, but they would’ve come back slowly but surely. The thing I think I’ll remember most about Selig’s tenure was that he didn’t do what was good for the game. He did what was going to make the owners money. One ugly legacy….
May 5th, 2010 at 9:13 pm
chappy
Very few teams in baseball can afford to even throw down $20 million for a player much less use that sort of money stadium improvements. But yet a-holes like the agent Scott Boras tell you that the market is always ripe. Well it is for him when he knows that the only teams that’ll deal with him are the Angels, Cardinals , Mets , Red Sox, and Yankees . And let’s say his commission rate bottom end is 3% off the top , that’s a cool $600,000 on a $20 million payday.
Alan Parkins
May 6th, 2010 at 11:02 am
chappy
I arrived here to live permanently in August of ’92 two weeks before Hurricane Andrew. I don’t know that I brought down the demons of hell or what . But two years later when I heard that there was about to be a labor stoppage in baseball I thought it was a complete joke !
And then who can forget the postponing of the season World Series and less we forget the year when Sosa and McGwire made us all feel happy ? Somehow we should’ve seen this all coming down the pike but we were all to enamored with both players and being told that this was all good for the game ?
When there’s been a massive fraud perpetrated on the public they have the recourse of filing a class action lawsuit to seek compensation. Unfortunately MLB is protected big time from such a suit courtesy of Congress and the Senate via their exemption. So who’s there to protect the fans and the consumers’ rights ?
Alan Parkins
May 6th, 2010 at 4:57 pm
Unfortunately nobody is looking out for the fans… Like the players say when they leave to free agency or get traded, “It’s a business”
May 6th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
chappy
Baseball is still under the impression that it’s family friendly and one of the cheapest forms of recreational entertainment there is. Not anymore ! They’ve screwed the fans and will continue to do so .
And it certainly hasn’t helped that there’s a concerted effort by the team owners _ union and the game’s hhierarchy to continue down the same path.
Nothing is ever too big to fail ! And baseball ought to heed that fact.
Have you heard the latest about former Giants defensive player LT being charged with sexual assault of 16 yr old female ? What there are no crack ho’s in NYC that he could’ve got together with ?
Alan Parkins
May 6th, 2010 at 7:55 pm
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