Oakland team president David Kaval (left) and reporter Marko Ukalovic (right) sat down for a Mar 30, 2017 interview when Kaval had an open door policy for reporters. That door has since been closed as Kaval and top A’s officials met with the Oakland Coliseum Join Authority Tue Apr 2, 2024 regarding a lease extension at the Coliseum. (photo from Marko Ukaloivc)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury the Oakland A’s met with City management and the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority today. There was talk before they were going to meet that there was no way the A’s would agree to pay the $97 million for five years to play their interim years at the Coliseum.

#2 Ironically the $97 million that the City of Oakland was asking for was the same amount that separated the City and A’s for the Howard Terminal ballpark. Then A’s president David Kaval announced that the A’s had a binding agreement with the Rio in Las Vegas back in June.

#3 I know you reported that Sacramento is a solid second choice for a A’s interim home if the Coliseum falls apart. The A’s have visited Sutter Health Park and Kaval said he likes the park and it was reported that MLB Commissioner would prefer the A’s stay in California. The Sacramento Rivercats if necessary are prepared to make adjustments to Sutter Health to make it work for the players.

#4 One of the biggest reasons the A’s wanted to meet with the Coliseum was they didn’t want to walk away from the $70 million a year NBC California contract they have that runs through 2030. Whatever deal they get in Sacramento would not be nearly as close as what NBC would pay the A’s if they’d stay in Oakland.

#5 A $97 million five year contract with the Coliseum would work out to $19.4 million a year on rent. Figuring they would get $210 million from NBC California for the first three years and the A’s would have to shell out $60 million to the Coliseum Joint Authority in rent and still would be a good deal giving the A’s $150 million on a three contract. They A’s refused that offer and countered with asking for two years for $17 million and the Coliseum Authority declined leaving both sides far apart.

#6 Amaury, reports today regarding Esteury Ruiz was sent down because as A’s general manager David Forst said he needs to get on base more. Also Brent Rooker has been benched because Forst said he’s not hitting. Insiders say that Ruiz and Rooker have been demoted or benched because they wore Last Dive Bar wristbands which are pushing for A’s owner John Fisher to sell the team. This has certainly become political.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com