Category: Oakland Athletics

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: City of Oakland wants an Expansion team 

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Oakland A’s team president David Kaval has been negotiating with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority and said the negotiations have been positive from last their last meeting on Thu Feb 15, 2024. (AP News file photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

City of Oakland wants an Expansion team 

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

The season for the A’s begins on March 28, 2024, their last year in the lease with the Oakland Coliseum. Working on the premise that the A’s will be playing in Las Vegas by 2028, the City of Oakland and the Oakland A’s are currently negotiating (preliminary talks) to extend the lease for a few more years, possibly 2025-2026-2027—three more years until their inauguration in Sin City.

The City of Oakland wants a guarantee that if the A’s leave, as expected as of today, in return, Major League Baseball will let Oakland have an expansion team. Sheng Thao, the Mayor of Oakland (currently under a recall campaign), might save her job if she can get such a deal.

Still, it is not a sure thing since the main reason for the recall by Oakland citizens is not about the A’s but about the crime in her city and lack of security. A year after she fired the Police Chief, a new Police Chief has not been named yet.

The Oakland Athletics inauguration in Las Vegas is scheduled for 2028, but expansion teams might not come until 2029. Oakland is not seen today as a possible city for an expansion team. Oakland would have to wait in line after Nashville and Salt Lake City, the current front runners for a new franchise. Commissioner Rob Manfred said, as recently as last week, that MLB will name two expansion cities by the time he retires, according to ESPN.

Let’s suppose the A’s move and open in Las Vegas in 2028, just like they have it planned. Oakland might or might not be one of those two expansion teams until 2029, five years from today. But, since Michel de Nostredame, aka Nostradamus, died in 1566, I do not believe there is anybody today alive in ESPN, the New York Times, Associated Press, Reuters, the San Francisco Chronicle, or the Wall Street Journal qualified to predict how this is going to end.

BREAKING NEWS: Drakes Brewery, a famous San Leandro brewery, just pulled their sponsorship three days before Fans Fest. Last Dive Bar, one of the organizers wrote on Facebook. The fan group said it had incurred expenses including “sponsor banners, a digital marketing package” and “rented equipment to set up a Drakes beer both.” The Oakland A’s deny they have anything to do with this

Around and around it goes, where does its stops nobody knows”. This was one of the lines from “Major Bowes Amateur Hour” a popular radio show that ran from 1934 to 1948, later made the transition to television as “Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour” and to their credit many stars were discovered in his show, including the one and only Francis Albert Sinatra.

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

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Co-owner Billy Beane encouraging Fisher to continue talks with Coliseum Joint Authority for lease extension; plus more A’s news

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Oakland A’s senior advisor to the managing partner Billy Beane (left) and A’s general manager David Forst (right) are seen here standing in the A’s dugout on Aug 28, 2020 at the Oakland Coliseum. Beane has recently advised according to reports owner John Fisher that the Oakland Coliseum would be the best place for the A’s interim years 2025-27 before moving to Las Vegas (AP file photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 Oakland A’s minority owner Billy Beane reportedly from Front Office Sports is encouraging owner John Fisher to continue talks with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority for a lease extension. Beane is also a senior advisor to Fisher.

#2 There had been talks that the A’s had the home of the Sacramento Rivercats and the San Francisco Giants minor league triple A team’s ballpark Sutter Health in West Sacramento that would house the A’s home games but some sources within the A’s organization said they didn’t know where those rumors came from and that Sacramento was not named by the A’s as the first choice for an interim site after the 2024 season.

#3 The Las Vegas Review Journal reported also that the A’s are trying to stay at the Oakland Coliseum as an interim site. A’s president David Kaval said this week that the A’s have narrowed their choices to three sites Sacramento, Salt Lake City and Oakland. Kaval is at the A’s spring training site in Mesa AZ. Talk has it that Oakland is the most logical choice because of the TV money they would get from NBC Sports California at some $70 million a year something they would not get in Salt Lake City or Sacramento.

#4 Kaval said that there is already a broadcast distribution now with the Sacramento Kings, San Jose Sharks, and A’s with NBC Sports California and that make Sacramento in the running. Still the players union would still have to sign off on playing in a minor league facility and three years at a minor league park might be an issue with the union.

#5 Kaval said he wants to be thoughtful and work with the league and that talks last Thursday went well and he had a positive feel. Kaval said the A’s are keeping their options open until they identify where they’ll play in the interim. It’s the hope of most fans and employees of the A’s that they would choose the Oakland Coliseum in the interim before moving to Las Vegas.

Jerry Feitelberg does the Oakland A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Commissioner Manfred says Bay Area needs only one team; How much influence do the Giants play in keeping an Oakland team out?

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Does San Francisco Giants and team CEO Larry Baer play a influential role in encouraging MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to make sure Oakland never gets an expansion team so the Giants will have the East Bay as their territory as well? (AP News file photo)

On Oakland A’s relocation podcast:

#1 Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s Chief of Staff Leigh Hanson said on Friday after meeting with Oakland A’s team president David Kaval that in order for the A’s to get a three year lease at the Coliseum MLB has to agree that Oakland will get an expansion team. That decision rests with baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred.

#2 Manfred said of any expansion team or any idea of another MLB team coming to Oakland “First of all we do have a major league team in the Bay Area.” Manfred was referring to the San Francisco Giants it’s been everyone’s understanding that Giants team CEO Larry Baer and the Giants who voted to have the A’s moved out of Oakland to Las Vegas during the owners vote on Dec 16th that the Giants would like to have the Bay Area including the East Bay as Giants territory and their market. Do they want the Commissioner not to allow any team to expand or move to Oakland and Oakland would become Giants territory.

#3 After the A’s announced and got confirmation from the Nevada State Legislature to the tune of $380 million for the Tropicana ballpark the A’s and MLB were confident that this was going to be smooth transition but the offering was rushed they left out where John Fisher A’s owner was going to get his share of the $1.5 billion for the construction costs and also where the A’s were going to play between 2025-27. Now Manfred is under pressure to find a place for the A’s to play for those remaining three years and Fisher doesn’t want to walk away from $70 million in TV money for those three years.

#4 Who will blink first. The City of Oakland and the Coliseum Joint Authority will lease out the Coliseum to the A’s only if Oakland is guaranteed an expansion team this boxes in Manfred who wants to get out of Oakland all together and is being counted on by the Giants to make sure that happens. The A’s must have a place to play decided by July. The Players Association will not sign off on playing in a minor league park and the Coliseum is the only practical viable place to go.

#5 Sharing a ballpark with another MLB team won’t especially if the A’s leave the Bay Area to play their home games and they lose the $70 million TV money.

Jerry Fetielberg is an Oakland A’s beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s relocation podcast Augie Mesenburg: Sacramento is A’s first choice for 2025 season; City of Oakland wants guarantee of expansion team

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Oakland A’s team president David Kaval has met with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Powers regarding a lease extension beyond 2024. The A’s could play the remaining three years at the Coliseum 2025-27 before the Tropicana ballpark is ready in Las Vegas (photo by ABC Sky7 still photo)

On the Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Augie:

#1 The Oakland A’s brass met with the Oakland Coliseum Joynt Powers. Seeing that players’ union most likely will not sign off to play in a minor league ballpark and most importantly the A’s don’t want to miss out on that $67 million annual television money from NBC Bay Area Sports California contract.

#2 There has been no disclosure to how much a year and how long the A’s will be staying at the Coliseum as the new park in Las Vegas is supposed to be ready by 2028. It’s sounding like it might be the three years 2025-27 to finish up in Oakland similar to what the Raiders did before they left Oakland for Las Vegas.

#3 Some are asking could this lead to something being worked out with the Mayor of Oakland and the City of Oakland for a chance that the A’s brass could re-visit Howard Terminal again? It doesn’t seem likely on the surface but there are two law suits coming from Strong Public Schools and Schools over Stadiums that will challenge the Nevada public funding of the Tropicana ballpark and the A’s might be looking at a back up plan.

#4 Augie, the A’s try hard as they may have not nailed down a location to play their games after 2024. A’s owner John Fisher and team president David Kaval have looked at numerous sites Las Vegas Ballpark (home of the A’s minor league triple A team), Sutter Health Park (home of the Sacramento Rivercats), Salt Lake City (home of the minor league Bees), and Oracle Park in San Francisco. All of the parks didn’t work out either it was a minor league park or at Oracle Park they would have to share it with the Giants and the Giants were concerned about the turf being torn up. The latest from Thursday’s news is Sacramento’s Sutter Health Ballpark is a front runner for the A’s in 2025.

#5 This might be more than just a kick the tires meeting to see if it’s worth to come back to the Coliseum after 2024 the A’s who were rumored at one point considering just shutting down operations between 2025-28 have not much choice and no where to go but the Coliseum until the new park in Vegas is ready that is if the Vegas ballpark can withstand the lawsuits by Schools over Stadiums and Strong Public Schools in Las Vegas.

Augie Mesenburg filled in for Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s relocation podcasts heard Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com. Augie is also a reporter for KHAI FM 104.5 and AM 950 Honolulu.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Coliseum to the Rescue? A’s wouldn’t have to shut down operations

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Oakland Alameda County Coliseum at night (photo file by Ticketmaster.com)

The Coliseum to the Rescue? A’s wouldn’t have to shut down operations

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

In the never-ending saga of the only baseball franchise in Bay Area history to have won four World Series, the Oakland A’s are now to meet with the City of Oakland and County of Alameda to renew a new lease past this 2024 season (last year for the current lease).

As Spring Training in Arizona is getting underway, the Oakland A’s, who are scheduled to inaugurate a new ballpark in the Las Vegas strip by 2028, have obstacles still on the horizon, the most important being the financing for the $1.5 billion stadium in Sin City as well are the renderings of the proposed new 30,000 seat facility.

If you call the Tropicana Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas today hoping to get a reservation for a stay, you can do so until April. The iconic Tropicana has already officially announced that they will not take any reservations after April 2 because they are making way for the demolition, which is also scheduled for this year.

While the A’s build their new park in Las Vegas, the one city that makes the most sense for the team to keep playing is Oakland, which is common sense, but as we all know, in this current story, ” common sense is not common anymore.”

If the Oakland A’s were to extend their lease with the City of Oakland and Alameda County for 2025 and beyond, that would ensure the team keeps playing in a major league facility. As dated as the Coliseum is today, granted, it is not the most attractive baseball park.

However, it is still a major league facility, and the Players Union will probably never approve of the A’s playing in a smaller setting, barnstorming in minor league cities outside the Bay Area.

So get ready. More discussions are underway. This makes sense, there is money for everybody, if they extend it, plus the A’s will still keep the millions they get in television broadcasting revenue, and the city and county also will benefit financially. This is not amateur sports; this is the Big Leagues, and when there is money to be made, everybody likes to talk about it.

Let’s see what happens now.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on 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

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: MLB and A’s are not talking about what’s beyond 2024

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According to Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao the door is still open to negotiate a deal at Howard Terminal at the Port of Oakland. Oakland A’s owner John Fisher in the event the Las Vegas deal falls through is welcomed to call Thao. (photo by the Nevada Independent)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, how impossible is the idea for the Oakland A’s to go and disband for three years and MLB to carry with just 29 MLB teams from 2025-27?

#2 The idea that the A’s could shut it down for three years is it a clear indication that either financially John Fisher doesn’t have his share of the stadium costs or he’s trying to scrape enough together between 2025-27 in order to pay for his share saving money by shutting down operations.

#3 If it all falls apart in Las Vegas there is really no where else for the A’s to go. Commissioner Rob Manfred said the A’s will play out west and did really know where himself. The players association will not play in a minor league park hence Salt Lake City, Portland, Sacramento or Summerlin.

#4 Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said recently that her door is open and if Fisher wants to talk about working a deal out at Howard Terminal if Las Vegas falls apart. Her offer out numbers the State of Nevada number $428 million to $380 million.

#5 The A’s pre season starts Sat Feb 24th in Mesa Arizona at Ho Ho Kam Stadium it’ll be the first pre season game this one is against the Colorado Rockies on the same day two Oakland A’s fan clubs the Oakland 68s and the Last Dive Bar will host a Fans Fest at Jack London Square that would raise money to help with legal fees for law suits filed by Schools over Stadiums and Strong Public Schools who are trying to stop the public financing of the Las Vegas ballpark.

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

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Augie Mesenburg: Did Vegas Mayor have some weight behind her “A’s belong in Oakland” comment?

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Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman just recently won the hearts and minds of Oakland fans saying “the A’s belong in Oakland” this week in an interview with Front Office Sports (photo by the City of Las Vegas)

On the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Augie:

#1 Augie, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman’s remark’s that the “A’s belong in Oakland” after seeing that the Oakland A’s missed the deadline on presenting renderings and that owner John Fisher is asking the Las Vegas business community to help invest in the team.

#2 Later Goodman partially walked back what she originally said saying that she wanted what was best for Las Vegas, Paradise, and Clark County and that she wanted to welcome the A’s to Las Vegas and that the A’s only belonged in Oakland if they can’t get the financing their looking for.

#3 The interview with Mayor Goodman was conducted with Front Office Sports and it was audio recorded as well. Goodman said that the A’s “need to listen to the people that are up there (in Oakland). It’s there team.”

#4 Fisher has said that he is seeking financial assistance and that had put doubt in Goodman’s mind that Fisher doesn’t have the money. Goodman is not mayor of the A’s future home at the Tropicana location which is located in the Paradise city limits and ran by Clark County. Goodman and her husband former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman have been trying to bring MLB to Vegas for 20 years.

#5 Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao upon hearing what Goodman had to say that the A’s are Oakland ‘s team said with excitement in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle’s John Shea, “100%! Keeping the A’s in Oakland is what’s best for everyone including Las Vegas. My door is open to John Fisher and to anyone else that has the means and desire to purchase the A’s and keep them in the town. We have the plan, the sites, and the money. Let’s keep the A’s rooted in Oakland.”

#6 John Fisher is a vilified figure as many fans in Oakland want Fisher to sell the team and find a buyer who will keep the team in Oakland. Fisher repeatedly has said the team is not for sale. Daniel, in the hypothetical circumstance that Fisher can’t pay for the costs of the stadium in Vegas or if the whole Las Vegas ballpark plan fails can you see him going back to Oakland as Mayor Thao who says she has a existing offer on the table.

#7 Augie, a political action committee group Strong Public Schools has filed a lawsuit on Monday which also named the State of Nevada, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo and state Treasurer Zach Conine as defendants saying that the state is “financing a world class Stadium for a California billionaire while ignoring Nevada’s second class education system.” The A’s nor anyone from Major League Baseball would not make a comment on the lawsuit that argues the SB1 bill violated the Nevada constitution because it was passed on a majority vote and not a two thirds vote. The A’s nor anyone from Major League Baseball are named as defendants.

#8 Schools over Stadiums according to sources has raised funding for their legal fees to get the proper petition language to put an initiative on the November ballot that would stop the public funding for the A’s ballpark on the Las Vegas strip with legal counseling. Schools over Stadiums can thank Oakland A’s fans namely the Oakland 68s and the Last Dive Bar who helped raise funds to help pay for the legal fees.

Augie Mesenburg filled in for Daniel Dullum who hosts the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Born in Oakland planning for Nashville

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Former Oakland A’s pitcher Dave Stewart being honored in August 2009 photo at the Oakland Coliseum is now a part time owner and seeking to bring Major League Baseball to Nashville (photo from wikipedia)

Born in Oakland, planning for Nashville

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

During a time when it seems people are talking about Oakland, Oakland, Oakland, for better or for worse, perhaps no other man currently represents Oakland better than Oakland A’s Hall of Fame pitcher Dave Stewart,

The Oakland A’s are not considered contenders. Still, the eyes of the baseball world are expressively focused on Oakland and this franchise’s trials and tribulations, especially during the 2024 baseball season, which is expected to be their last in Oakland. Dave Stewart is one man with a plan. His plan has been working for years to take an expansion team, minority-owned, to the city of Nashville.

He has been traveling in baseball circles, including the Winter Meetings, where baseball executives gather yearly to discuss trades and other organizational decisions. If you have not heard much about “Mister Smoke” talking about the A’s situation (unless he has to, as a baseball on-the-air commentator), he is not focused on such a thing. He is a proud Oaklander; everybody knows Stewart and his integrity for the game.

We will never forget during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, Dave Stewart by the old Cypress freeway where most of the damage was done in Oakland by the quake, including fatalities. I asked Stew after the Loma Prieta earthquake, “You should run for Mayor.” he laughed at the idea. Nashville is the first of two MLB candidates for expansion and is assumed to be a foregone conclusion.

Nashville will have to pay a $2 Billion expansion fee plus the price of a new stadium. The Capital of Tennessee, Nashville, has a population of 700,000, 300,000 plus more than Oakland, and 2 million in their metropolitan area, the Capital of Country Music.

Yes, Dave Stewart, born in Oakland, has been working on a real plan for Nashville.

Quote: Baseball is a public trust. Players turn over, owners turn over, and certain commissioners turn over. But baseball goes on.” Peter Ueberroth (Commissioner of Baseball from 1984-1988.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez for News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Vegas Mayor says A’s belong in Oakland; Schools over Stadiums ready to move language for petition drive to stop A’s ballpark funding

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The Tropicana Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas the future home with the Las Vegas A’s hoping to break ground in April 2025. The issue of private financing has been so off schedule and unorganized that Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman has said the “plans don’t make sense” (Las Vegas Review Journal file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, because of all the lawsuits the Oakland A’s might lose the public money because of all the lawsuits and the Schools over Stadiums initiative ballot that stops using public money that could make the public ballot. This money is only earmarked for the Tropicana location and no where else. The A’s might be having problems figuring how to get a ballpark on nine acres at the Trop.

#2 MLB had no comment after Las Vegas Mayor Goodman said that the A’s ought to stay in Oakland.

#3 Mayor Goodman can read between the lines as the reaction at the Chamber of Commerce meeting was cold and talk has been the business community now has it’s doubts about the A’s since owner John Fisher has been going hat in hand looking for financial support.

#4 It’s Super Bowl week Amaury, and you would think the biggest news in Vegas would be about the Big Game but now the Oakland A’s are a headline with the Mayor saying the A’s shouldn’t come to Vegas but stay in Oakland.

#5 Amaury, the Last Dive Bar and Oakland 68s who are strong A’s fan groups are holding a Fan Fest at Jack London Square in downtown Oakland proceeds will help with legal fees toward Schools over Stadiums in Las Vegas to stop the use of public money to finance the ballpark. The first step of success is Schools over Stadium had Oakland A’s fans raise enough money to cover Schools over Stadium’s legal fees to get language to stop the public funding and get a petition drive to get initiative on the ballot for the Nov 2024 election not to mention that Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo has been named as a defendant by Schools over Stadiums.

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

Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: A’s could shutdown operations between 2025-27; Portland will pay for A’s to come if Vegas falls apart

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The Portland Diamond Project is pushing for a new ball park which include retail, housing, offices, and a new ballpark. Portland is willing to pay for the project which would be located at the Red Tail Golf Course on 163 acres in Redmond Oregon if things don’t work out in Las Vegas (renderings Portland Diamond Project)

On the Oakland A’s relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum:

#1 The Oakland A’s and John Fisher are considering shutting down their operations between 2025-27 and resuming operations in 2028.

#2 Part of the thinking is that shutting down the operations will save the team money and that they can also pay the $1.5 billion to finance the ballpark in Vegas for their share without having to pay for operations of the team and to the players for three years.

#3 The problem with the A’s shutting down for three years there will be 29 teams playing and the Players Union most likely will not go along with the idea of one less team which would hurt the players who are involved.

#4 The A’s have no plans where to play after the 2024 season, so far they’ve toured Salt Lake City, Summerlin, and Sacramento. they have not decided on a place yet.

#5 They went and paid a visit to Portland this week and the City of Portland wants a MLB team badly. Portland wants to purchase the Red Tail Golf Course and it would include a massive amount of land for retail, housing, a retail village, offices and a ballpark. On 150 acres. The A’s are obligated to Las Vegas but if they simply don’t have the money for their share of the construction costs or don’t want to come out of pocket Portland is willing to foot the entire bill for a MLB team like the A’s.

Join Daniel for the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com