Category: Oakland Athletics

Oakland A’s Relocaton podcast with Daniel Dullum: Fisher says he’ll explore ballpark funding with the Las Vegas Community

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John Fisher owner of the Oakland A’s meets with the Las Vegas Community and later the news media at the Fontainebleau Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas at Las Vegas A’s Coming Out Party (photo from the Nevada Independent)

On the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast:

#1 Oakland A’s owner John Fisher said after Wednesday night’s Coming out party at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas that he’s working with Bally’s and GOPI on the renderings for the Tropicana ballpark instead of just releasing the renderings for the ballpark but also for the planned resort and wants both projects on the renderings

#2 Fisher said it’s going to take time to get the drawings up and measuring the ballpark on nine acres plus how and where the resorts will be designed.

#3 As far as financing for the ballpark the stadium costs will run $1.5 billion and Fisher said he would seek funding from his family and the Las Vegas business community. What makes Fisher think he could go to each Casino owner and business owner in Vegas and put enough money to help pay off the construction cost. He’s basically looking for investors and minority owners.

#4 Fisher was also asked at the Wednesday function where they’ll play for after the 2024 season. Fisher did visit Sutter Health Park in Sacramento and Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City last week saying, “We haven’t made a choice but hope to do soon.”

#5 Fisher did say that Summerlin is a terrific asset and a great place and it’s the Oakland A’s triple A affiliate home of the Aviators. No one from the players association has not said anything yet about it’s members playing in a minor league park but it’s been said the players are not in favor of playing in a minor league park.

Join Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s relocaton podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s owner John Fisher, spoke at Las Vegas event- -It is like the Groundhog Day movie; Fisher open to selling shares of team

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Mary Beth Sewald president/CEO of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce (left) and Oakland A’s owner John Fisher (right) sit down to discuss the A’s move to Las Vegas and all the ballpark intangibles at the Fontainebleau Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Wed Jan 24, 2024 (photo by Nevada Independent)

A’s owner, John Fisher, spoke at the Las Vegas event– It is like the Groundhog Day movie

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

The first public comments by A’s owner, John Fisher, were made on Wednesday in Las Vegas. He said he would like local Las Vegas investors to help him pay for the $1.5 billion A’s stadium at the Tropicana hotel-casino location on the Strip. Fisher spoke for about 20 minutes at the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce event. He wants to find local capital for the stadium in Las Vegas as a way of engaging his new city.

He said about the Las Vegas park renderings: “We’ll release our renderings when you know when it’s the right time to do so,” Fisher said.

Speaking about the funding: “That will be funded mostly with equity from my family,” Fisher said. “We would like to consider raising capital, especially from local investors. That creates a connection to the community, and we’ve seen that with many other teams become a successful thing.”

Meanwhile, back in Planet Oakland, Mayor Shen Thao’s office told the Las Vegas Review-Journal: “When the Athletics leave the Bay Area ahead of the team’s planned Las Vegas relocation, they won’t be missed.” The mayor’s office also responded to whether they have discussed extending the team’s Oakland Coliseum lease past its expiration date at the end of the 2024 season.

Leigh Hanson, Mayor Thao’s chief of staff, said no and then ripped into the club. According to the Review-Journal, Mr. Hanson added; “To date, they have not contacted or requested an extension to their lease from the Mayor, Alameda County, the joint powers agency that oversees the Coliseum, and perhaps most notably from the fans.”

The situation in Oakland is not a pretty one when businesses close because of a spike in crime as they continue to make news nationwide, not how they wanted. As a matter of fact, the A’s story is not as crucial for the city of Oakland as the current situation, where some Council Members are now asking the Mayor to declare a State of Emergency.

When a profitable In ‘n Out Burger restaurant announces they are leaving Oakland because of too much crime in their parking lot, the Mayor has a bigger problem than the baseball team.

From Amaury’s desk: This whole story is extremely close to the script of the 1993 Hollywood film: “Groundhog Day” where a cynical television weatherman relives the said day repeatedly. Actor Bill Murray’s predicament drives him to distraction until he sees a way of turning the situation to his advantage. Las Vegas has become Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

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: A’s looking at Sacramento and Salt Lake City for 2025-27

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The Salt Lake City Bees are aiming to lure the Oakland A’s to play their home games at Smith’s Ballpark in downtown Salt Lake City for the 2025. Salt Lake City is on the list of temporarily homes for the A’s after the 2024 season. (photo by News Radio 102.7 FM)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary:

#1 Amaury, the A’s owner John Fisher and team president David Kaval this past week visited Sacramento’s Sutter Health Field and Salt Lake City Smith’s Ballpark. They will eventually decide where the A’s will play after the 2024 season.

#2 The other 2025 options are Summerlin, Reno, and of course Salt Lake City and Sacramento.

#3 Amaury, is the relationship between the A’s and the City of Oakland so bad that Fisher won’t even consider finishing up at the Oakland Coliseum despite Fisher owning half of the Coliseum property?

#4 How much opposition do you see the A’s and MLB getting from the Players union about having to play in a minor league park when they can finish up at the Coliseum.

#5 Amaury, no renderings and no money to pay for construction no word or latest word where John Fisher is on the renderings and construction money for the Vegas ballpark?

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

Oakland A’s Relocaton podcast with Daniel Dullum: Nevada State lawmakers received $112,000 in contributions from A’s; A’s see dollars but those are Super Bowl dollars not game day dollars

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Nevada Senate Majority Leaders Nicole Cannizzaro who voted for using public funding for the Las Vegas A’s/Tropicana ballpark on the Vegas Strip was one of 41 of 63 legislators who received a campaign contribution from the A’s after $380 million in funding was approved last Jun 2023. Only 10 legislators who voted against the funding received a contribution. (photo from ABC 8 News Now TV)

On the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel:

#1 Hotel rooms in Las Vegas on an average night the week before Super Bowl LVIII are going for the mid $900s and going as high as $2833 a night. The A’s know an out of towner won’t spend this much during the regular baseball season but they and Bally’s Tropicana have visions of dollar signs dancing through their heads none the less.

#2 It was learned on Thursday that local and state lawmakers received $112,000 in contributions from the Oakland A’s. The lawmakers that received $10,000 out of the $112k contribution were Democrats from Las Vegas, Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager and Senate Minority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro.

#3 The public was made aware of the contributions when the finance reports for the quarter of Oct 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2023. The $112,000 contributions were made after the State Legislature approved the $380 million in public funds for the A’s new Las Vegas ballpark.

#4 Talk about the coincidence of legislators who did not receive contribution because either their not running for reelection or they voted against public financing for the Tropicana ballpark.

#5 On the face of this Daniel does this appear to be some sort of back room deal that’s not a back room deal and it’s quite open that if you voted for the new park your on board and you get your contribution and if you didn’t you don’t get any skin in the game?

Daniel Dullum takes a look at the Oakland A’s Relocation each Friday join him for the podcasts at www,sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Atléticos turn to Latin America for their Future

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Aledmys Diaz of the Oakland A’s gives thanks to the Almighty after clubbing a fifth inning home run against the San Francisco Giants at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat Aug 5, 2023. Diaz is one of many players in the A’s system from Latin America (AP News file photo)

Atléticos turn to Latin America for their Future —

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The Oakland A’s have signed these international players. Nathan Arends, RHP Aruba, Yohandri Contreras, RHP, Venezuela, Brayan Cota, 3B,México, Samuel González, SS, Venezuela, Celso Lopez, RHP, Venezuela, Eric Matos RHP, Cuba, Hugo Merza Trejo, RHP, México, Edgar Moreno, SS, Dominican Republic, Azzael Pacheco, C, Venezuela, José Parra, LHP, Venezuela, Alejando Pereira, C, Venezuela, Luis Plicet, RHP, Panamá, José Ramos, OF, Venezuela, Sebastián Rojas, OF, Venezuela, Oliver Sirotti Vásquez, RHP, Dominican Republic, Franco Zabaleta, LHP, Colombia.

The 2024 roster: Aledmys Díaz, Cuba, Jordan Díaz, Colombia, Esteury Ruíz, Dominican Republic, Angel Felipez, Dominican Republic, Dany Jiménez, Dominican Republic, Adriían Martínez, México, Francisco Pérez, Dominican Republic, Darell Hernaiz, Puerto Rico, Lázaro Armenteros, Cuba, Miguel Andujar, Dominican Republic, Royber Salinas, Venezuela, Luis Medina, Dominican Republic. With the season beginning March 28, more Latinos could still be signing with the Oakland A’s.

Throughout their history, among the Atléticos Latino players were; Yoenis Céspedes, José Canseco, Ozzie Canseco, Dagoberto Blanco Campaneris, José Mangual, Angel Mangual, Miguel Tejada, Stan Javier, Jesó Alou, Joaquin Andujar and many others. Currently, 32% of all major league players were born in Latin America; the percentage is more significant in the minor leagues.

The Hispanic/Latino baseball market continues to grow, as 63.7 million is listed as the United States Hispanic population as of July 1, 2022, making it the nation’s most significant racial or ethnic minority — 19.1% of the total. Population. The largest minority consumer and voting block in the United States of America. In some areas in the US, Hispanic media enjoys higher ratings than traditional “all other” media.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Hello Sa-cra-men-to!; Sutter Health Ballpark Sacramento is looking better and better for A’s in 2025

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The Oakland A’s owner John Fisher and team president David Kaval both toured Sutter Health Ballpark in Sacramento on Thu Jan 18, 2024 and are considering having the A’s play their home games there starting in the 2025 season (photo from Sacramento Rivercats facebook file)

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

Hello Sa-cra-men-to!

That’s Amaury Pi-González

By Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

What is settled: Officially, the A’s will play the whole home schedule at the Oakland Alameda-County Coliseum this 2024, on Thursday, March 28, at 7:07 against the Cleveland Guardians.

Not settled: Although 2025 and 2027 are not settled at all, Sacramento is looking better and better as that temporary home for the Atléticos. But, Sacramento is not in the Bay Area, so the team will not be eligible to receive some $60-plus million from NBC Sports.

Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto is the #20 television market in the US; the Sacramento Sutter Health Park total capacity is 14,404, which is all the regular seats plus the grassy area behind the outfield.

According to John Shea of the SF Chronicle, even if the A’s pay far less than the $67 million, a deal would still benefit NBC Sports California because it is less than what they would pay in the Bay Area. Also (according to Shea), the A’s could retain the A’s programming lineup.

On Thursday it was reported that A’s owner John Fisher and team president David Kaval both were taking a tour of Sutter Health Park and checking the facilities. If Fisher and Kaval like everything they see at Sutter Health it’s likely the A’s could start playing home games there beginning 2025.

Oakland A’s president Dave Kaval initially said the Oakland Coliseum, Oracle Park (home of the Giants), or Summerlin, Nevada, the Las Vegas Aviators, the A’s triple-A affiliate. If the A’s play at Oracle, the Giants will charge them as tenants for some 40 games, a very good fee; San Francisco is expensive, although there is a 40,000 capacity, which is totally a major league standard. and A ‘s Aviators Park in Las Vegas is probably out of the equation as of….now. The A’s are scheduled to play a two game spring training series at Aviators Park Mar 8th and 9th against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead Spanish voice on the Oakland A’s 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: Sutter Health Park Sacramento could be A’s landing spot in 2025

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Sutter Health Park in Sacramento could be the home of the Oakland A’s for the 2025 season. Nothing official yet from the A’s on playing their games there in 2025. (Mrmingbean file photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Oakland A’s will be hosting a public event similar to a Fan Fest in Las Vegas and Southern Nevada at $125 a pop. This public event could be scene as a barometer and how many fans will attend and how many will season tickets they’ll sell of 2028.

#2 The renderings still have not been unveiled as of yet and the A’s have not revealed their financing plans for the park. Also they have not announced where they will play after the 2025 season although insiders say they are leaning towards the San Francisco Giants triple A park in Sacramento Sutter Health Park.

#3 The A’s have a deal with NBC Sports Bay Area through the 2033 season and NBC would pay on that contract so long as the A’s play their games in the Bay Area. A’s team president David Kaval said knowing Sacramento is outside the Bay Area NBC would not be obligated to pay on the deal.

#4 There has been talked that both the A’s and NBC Bay Area would reach a middle ground on the contract and the A’s would get a reduced amount on the contract that would pay less than the $67 million that they got in 2023 season.

#5 A deal between the City of Oakland beyond 2025 looks impossible. The A’s and the City are not on good terms and the fact that the City and A’s never got to the point to where they could make Howard Terminal a reality plays into playing at the Coliseum in 2025 unlikely as negotiations had broke down before their decision to move to Las Vegas. Also the A’s fans and A’s owner John Fisher look like they will not be patching things up anytime soon. The A’s could play 30-40 of their home games at Oracle Park home of the Giants and the rest in Sacramento.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Jim on Bases: How City of Oakland will handle Ballers being denied use of Coliseum

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Oakland Ballers manager Mitch Franklin speaks with the media upon introducing the Pioneer League team’s first year in Oakland (AP News photo)

#1 Jim, the Pioneer League Oakland Ballers were denied use of the Oakland Coliseum for one game on June 29th. The Ballers co-founder Paul Freedman was rather shocked about not being able to play at the Coliseum. The latest word is from inside sources the A’s are not budging from their decision to deny the Ballers to play at the Coliseum on June 29th.

#2 One of the discussed reasons for the denial by the A’s is they don’t want to have the Ballers come in and draw say 30,000 and making a statement that baseball isn’t dead in Oakland whereas the A’s are expected to draw no more on average 5,000 a game.

#3 The Ballers who are scheduled to play their games at Laney College in Oakland wanted to get their name out there and have a good start. The A’s don’t want to be embarrassed having a Pioneer League team come in and make them look bad in their marketing and attendance.

#4 The idea of the Ballers playing at the Coliseum didn’t come cheap as they would have to pay the Coliseum Authority to cover the grounds crew, security, concessions, engineers, technicians, and employees and also insurance costs and other miscellaneous departments working the Coliseum.

#5 The Ballers were planning to give tickets away to colleges, high schools and elementary schools and wanted to establish a relationship with Bay Area Schools and communities as a good will gesture. With the A’s denying the Ballers access to the Coliseum the Ballers will have to try and do this from Laney College.

Jim on Bases was filling in for Daniel Dullum who does the Oakland A’s Relocation podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s 2024 season, Adios Coliseum?

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Aerial view of the Oakland Coliseum Complex which will no longer be in use if the Oakland A’s vacate after the 2024 season and refuse an extension for 2025. (photo by Sky 7 ABC 7 News)

A’s 2024 Season, Adiós Coliseum?

Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–According to their lease, this year is the final year for the Oakland A’s to play at the Oakland Coliseum. They will need a home field from 2025 until 2028 when they plan to inaugurate their new ballpark in Las Vegas. Where will the A’s play after 2024, like in 2025?

The options are as follows: their current home, the Oakland Coliseum, Oracle Park San Francisco, home of the Giants, or possibly Las Vegas Ballpark, currently home to the A’s Triple-A affiliate, Last Vegas Aviators.

However, getting the players’ union to vote in favor of playing in a minor league park could present a real dilemma for the A’s and the other teams scheduled to play the A’s in Las Vegas with just 10,000 capacity. If the A’s want to play at Oracle in San Francisco, they know renting out there will not be cheap.

 One fact remains for this season because of all the circumstances and unknowns in the future of this franchise. The 2024 season could be the last for the A’s at Oakland Coliseum, where they have won four World Series.

Depending on how everything develops, like the construction of the new park, the A’s would be one of the most exciting teams to cover in the major leagues. It will attract nationwide and international curiosity.

We might see more media covering the Oakland A’s in 2024 than in the previous four to five seasons. The A’s will still have many young players, and they will not be expected to be in the race for a playoff spot, but all the stories written about 2024 could make the Oakland Coliseum historical Adiós a very special one.

There have been highs and lows for the Oakland A’s. In 1979, only 653 fans showed up at Oakland Alameda County Stadium to watch the A’s beat the Mariners 6-5. In 1979, the A’s total attendance at the Coliseum was 306,763, their lowest. In the last three years, 2021, 701,430, followed by 787,902 in 2022 and the previous season in 2023 the total home attendance was 832,352. The high, 1972,73-74, and  1988-89-90.

Those six years, A’s won four World Series and were the envy of baseball. I do not remember anybody complaining about the Oakland Coliseum because the team was winning, and when you win, who cares where you play? Winning is what brings the fans to the park.

To think the A’s could attract 1 million this next season is the dream of the most optimist among optimists. But because this 2024 could be a historical last season it will make it much more interesting, many memories will be rehashed and some new ones could come to fruition at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, the fifth oldest park in the major leagues.

Note: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, home of the LA Dodgers, is older than the Oakland Coliseum. It is the third oldest park in the major leagues, but in impeccable condition, it is still one of the best and most beautiful ballparks to watch a game.

The park doesn’t make the team. In the Dodger’s world, they have both the park and the team, and the team that leads the majors in attendance will be jumping again this year with many sellouts and a heck of a team.

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

Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Jim on Bases: A’s say they have exclusive rights to Coliseum

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Oakland Ballers co-founder Paul Freedman introduced at the Ballers first press conference talks about the Ballers first season which will be played at Laney College (Mercury News photo)

On the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Jim on Bases :

#1 Jim on Bases, the Pioneer League Oakland Ballers were denied use of the Oakland Coliseum for one game on June 29th. The Ballers co-founder Paul Freedman was rather shocked about not being able to play at the Coliseum. The latest word is from inside sources the A’s are not budging from their decision to deny the Ballers to play at the Coliseum on June 29th.

#2 One of the discussed reasons for the denial by the A’s is they don’t want to have the Ballers come in and draw say 30,000 and making a statement that baseball isn’t dead in Oakland whereas the A’s are expected to draw no more on average 5,000 a game.

#3 The Ballers who are scheduled to play their games at Laney College in Oakland wanted to get their name out there and have a good start. The A’s don’t want to be embarrassed having a Pioneer League team come in and make them look bad in their marketing and attendance.

#4 The idea of the Ballers playing at the Coliseum didn’t come cheap as they would have to pay the Coliseum Authority to cover the grounds crew, security, concessions, engineers, technicians, and employees and also insurance costs and other miscellaneous departments working the Coliseum.

#5 The Ballers were planning to give tickets away to colleges, high schools and elementary schools and wanted to establish a relationship with Bay Area Schools and communities as a good will gesture. With the A’s denying the Ballers access to the Coliseum the Ballers will have to try and do this from Laney College.

Jim on Bases filled in for Daniel Dullum for the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast heard Frdiays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com