Tag: Oakland Coliseum

Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: MGM says lack of A’s ballpark blueprints is putting them behind schedule for construction; NBA All-Star contest winners; plus more news

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The MGM Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is waiting for an answer from the Oakland Athletics on a design that will connect a pedestrian bridge to the new ballpark. Without the design the MGM can not proceed with construction and the A’s non decision is holding up their plans. (Nevada Independent photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Top topic lack of Las Vegas A’s plans are stalling MGM Grand remodeling plans. The MGM is waiting for the future Las Vegas A’s to come up with with blueprints so they can figure in their remodeling plans. MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle said he’s been shown three different plans as to where the ballpark will sit on the site. Problem is the A’s do not have a definite design that has been decided on and Hornbuckle wants to get on with his construction at the MGM so he can build a pedestrian bridge to the ballpark.

#2 The A’s further have met with the Oakland Coliseum Joint Authority and have not come to an agreement for a lease extension that would have them play at the Coliseum from 2025-27 three years. Major League Baseball is in a bit of a pickle the A’s need to make a decision soon as the 2025 schedules come out in July but the City of Oakland wants MLB to guarantee an expansion team for Oakland and Rob Manfred said the Bay Area already has a team and that should be good enough.

#3 The Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry edged out the New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu in the three point contest at the NBA All Star Game in Indianapolis Saturday night 29-26. Ionescu hit seven straight three points for the 26 points.

#4 Mac McClung won back to back slam dunk contests and is now the fifth NBA player to have back to back wins in the slam dunk competition. McClung surpassed Shaq O’Neil with a 50 point slam over all people Shaq who was holding the ball above his had for the record setting dunk.

#5 Wanted to get a chance to ask you about the firing of former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks who got the blame for the 49ers loss in the Super Bowl. Talk about what mistakes he made and how does a defensive coordinator who contributed highly on his defense takes a team to the Super Bowl and ends up getting fired?

Join Charlie O for Headline Sports podcasts Sundays at 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.

Super Bowl LVII/Headline Sports podcast with Charlie O: 49ers and Chiefs what are the differences in teams; Will A’s shutdown operations after 2024?

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Artists rendition of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback (13) Pat Mahomes standing in front of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (NFL.com image)

On Headlines Sports podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie, looking at the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs for Super Bowl LVIII what do you consider some of the key differences between the two teams?

#2 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he knew that quarterback Brock Purdy was going to be their quarterback based on what he had seen from former 49ers quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance. Looks like Shanahan called it.

#3 Charlie, some of the right wing have said that it’s a fix that the Chiefs are in the Super Bowl that the officials missed some calls in order for the Baltimore Ravens to lose to the Chiefs because they wanted a path for Chiefs Travis Kelce and superstar singer Taylor Swift to be the face of the Super Bowl. Some in the right think the Chiefs are also fixed to win the Super Bowl because of the Swiftie tie in. The thinking is the Chiefs winning would help influence President Biden’s re-election campaign with another Swift endorsement. What do you make of the still discussed story?

#4 Turning to Major League Baseball and the Oakland A’s ballpark saga, the latest for the A’s 2025-27 seasons has several candidates now with Salt Lake City supposedly running in the lead, Portland says they are welcoming the A’s and further saying if it doesn’t work out in Vegas the City of Portland will pay for the park, retail, ballpark village housing, ballpark and put it on the Red Tail Golf Course in Beaverton outside of Portland, Sacramento could be a surprise, Oracle Park looks like a long shot too much baseball for the field, Summerlin looks out of the hunt, and the Oakland Coliseum doesn’t look like it has a chance and John Fisher A’s owner owns half of the Oakland Coliseum property.

#5 The last option that has raised eye brows as well as the ire of the Players Union from reliable sources that the A’s would consider shutting down operations and not play for the next three years after the 2024 season is completed. The idea being that Fisher can save, raise funds for his share of the construction costs of building the Vegas Ballpark without having to pay for employees, players and contractors for three lame duck seasons.

Join Charlie O for Headline Sports podcasts Sundays 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

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 Athletics Settle Coliseum Payment, Paving the Way for Vegas Move

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View of the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Complex which half the property is owned by John Fisher and the Oakland A’s and the other 50% is owned by Alameda County (KGO ABC 7/ Sky7 file photo)

By Mauricio Segura

In a dramatic turn of events of the continuing soap opera that has become Oakland Athletics baseball, the team has confirmed their commitment to pay the remaining $45 million owed to Alameda County for their 50% stake in the Coliseum site.

The decision comes after a recent notice from the county, demanding payment by May 14, 2024, triggered by the MLB owners’ unanimous vote on November 16, 2023, approving the A’s relocation to Las Vegas.

The A’s, represented by Coliseum Way Partners LLC, acknowledged the accelerated timeline, with chief legal officer D’Lonra C. Ellis stating in a letter to Nate Miley, president of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, that they would adhere to the terms of the 2019 purchase agreement.

The initial deal, valued at $85 million, allowed for payments in installments until 2026. However, a clause was activated, requiring the A’s to settle the remaining balance within 180 days of announcing their departure from Oakland.

This resolution brings a temporary conclusion to a messy saga surrounding the prominent Bay Area property. The other half of the 155-acre Coliseum site is owned by the City of Oakland, currently engaged in negotiations with the African American Sports and Entertainment Group for a proposed $115 million sale. The group aims to transform the area into a bustling commercial hub with live sports, hotels, and nightlife, though early hurdles have been encountered.

The A’s, secretive about their plans for the Coliseum property, acquired their stake in 2019, initially positioning it as a backup option for a new stadium. However, the narrative quickly shifted, with the team deeming the Coliseum unsuitable for Major League Baseball shortly after the purchase.

As the A’s prepare for their move to Las Vegas in 2028, questions linger about their temporary home for the seasons between 2025 and 2027. Various options, including playing in Reno, extending the Coliseum lease, using the A’s Triple-A home in Las Vegas, or sharing Oracle Park with the San Francisco Giants, have been discussed. Notably, MLB owners unanimously approved the relocation without the A’s disclosing their interim plans.

Intriguingly, the A’s owner, John Fisher, recently made a substantial stock sale, raising $32 million, which aligns with the timing of the Coliseum payment. Speculation suggests this may be a strategic move to demonstrate good faith and potentially secure a lease extension, allowing the city to redevelop the Coliseum without Fisher’s direct involvement. This theory gains traction as tensions between the A’s, Oakland, and MLB remain palpable, and Fisher seeks to secure RSN payments ranging from $180-210 million.

While the Coliseum property dispute is settling, broader uncertainties persist, including ongoing litigation challenging the property sale and the unresolved matter of the A’s interim playing location. As the baseball landscape undergoes significant changes, the A’s journey from the Coliseum to Las Vegas is marked by financial intricacies, legal battles, and a strategic dance with the future of the franchise.

Mauricio Segura has been a Bay Area sportswriter & photographer for the past 20 years, covering baseball, soccer, football, and basketball. He’s contributed articles for Area Chica Magazine, The Baseball Analyst Quarterly, and various newspapers. He currently publishes an online sports and entertainment website called Golden Bay Times and is the graphics and art Director for the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: A’s considering modeling Vegas park after Globe Life in Arlington

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Talk of the Oakland A’s modeling their new Las Vegas ballpark after Globe Life Field in Arlington complete with retractable roof. The Las Vegas A’s park is expected to be completed by 2028. (photo from Ballparks of Baseball)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal the Oakland A’s are looking at Globe Life Field in Arlington as a blue print for their Tropicana Ball Park. Globe Life was built in 2020 has a full retractable roof and seats 40,000. The A’s last proposal said they would seat 30,000 fans at the Tropicana in Vegas.

#2 A retractable roof at the A’s Vegas ball park most likely will only be opened maybe 10-11 times a season as it gets up to 102-1110 during the summer month of June, July and August. If the A’s have a retractable roof it will be at the cost of $100 million.

#3 Amaury, the A’s if they have the retractable roof will be using the park not only for baseball but for multi purpose events like concerts and public events. The question is can the A’s sell out every event like they say they can for the next 30 years some would say it’s doubtful.

#4 According to Dave Sampson the former Miami Marlins team president who podcasts on the show “Nothing Personal” said that the A’s deal to Vegas is not done yet despite the owners voting 30-0. There are two things that could hold things up John Fisher the team owner still needs to come up with his share of the construction money for the Vegas ballpark. Fisher is hedging his hopes that financing will be from tourism. The Vegas fan base will be too small to support the A’s but visitors from out of town are who the A’s are hanging their hats on.

#5 The question as to where the A’s play after 2024 is still up in the air as the Oakland Coliseum is the best location for the A’s to play 2025-27 in. The A’s have explored minor league parks and Oracle Park in San Francisco as places to go to but still don’t have an answer yet.

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

Oakland named as one of two expansion sites once A’s leave for Vegas in 2028

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Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao addresses the media during a Wed Feb 15, 2023 press conference at Oakland City Hall. Mayor Thao has said the City of Oakland would consider extending the A’s lease through the 2027 season if the city would retain the A’s name and the city gets an expansion team. (AP photo file)

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez and Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–You might recall Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said that if Oakland A’s are looking for extending they’re lease between 2025-27 before moving to Las Vegas the city of Oakland wants assurance of an MLB expansion team. According to USA Today reports two high officials in MLB said that Oakland and Nashville have been named as the top two cities for expansion.

The A’s ballpark is expected to be completed at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas strip by 2028. The A’s are committed to play at the Oakland Coliseum through the 2024 season. Then after 2024 where do the A’s play? Several sites have been suggested Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Aviators park, Reno, and San Francisco.

Mayor Thao said as long as Oakland is assured an expansion team when the A’s leave in 2028 the city would grant the A’s an extension to play at the Coliseum for an additional three more years until they pack up and leave for Sin City.

With the two high ranking officials saying Oakland is on the list for expansion Thao will most likely extend the A’s lease through the 2027 season. The officials who were not named said the city of Oakland needs to secure an owner who will build a new ballpark most likely at the Howard Terminal location. Mayor Thao would most likely need to identify an owner who will build the new ballpark and take charge of the expansion team to make it happen.

Thao had said that the city in part of extending the Oakland Coliseum lease for the A’s would retain the Oakland A’s name and brand. A’s owner John Fisher had said that the A’s will not relinquish the name when they move to Vegas and intends to keep the A’s brand.

It was also mentioned in the report that the city and the A’s were close to a deal in before the A’s announced they were leaving for Vegas. Thao had said the city and A’s were ten percent of the way to finalizing a deal but the A’s broke off negotiations and said they had a binding deal with the Rio in Las Vegas. The deal at the Rio was later broke off and now the A’s are trying to build at the Tropicana location which the A’s are waiting for MLB owners approval a vote that is expected to take place in December.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network and Jerry Feitelberg is an Oakland A’s reporter at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Daniel Dullum: Oakland Mayor wants to keep A’s name and wants an expansion team in exchange for lease extension

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Oakland Coliseum could be the home of the Oakland A’s from 2025-2027 if they can’t land either at Oracle Park in San Francisco or at the Las Vegas Ballpark while their new park at the Tropicana on the Las Vegas strip is under construction (AP file photo)

On the A’s podcast with Daniel:

#1 Daniel, the Oakland A’s will still be at the Oakland Coliseum next season, the Nevada Independent reported that the A’s could make an early leap for Las Vegas but that has not been determined yet. The A’s are considering many venue options one of them is using their minor league facility in Vegas which the Aviators are using. A’s president David Kaval that there needs to be upgrades and the A’s might re-think using the Aviators 10,000 seat facility.

#2 The A’s reportedly have explored playing at the Oakland Coliseum until their new ballpark at the Tropicana on the strip is ready. There in lies the problem as Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao wants some concessions before the A’s get committed to the Coliseum as a lame duck team, one is the city of Oakland keeps the team name A’s and MLB commits to expanding to Oakland when expansion opens up.

#3 Kaval said that the decision of where the A’s will play after 2024 is totally up to MLB Commissioner and Rob Manfred. Kaval did say that the A’s have looked at three locations Oracle Park in San Francisco and share the park with the Giants, Aviators Park/Las Vegas ballpark in Vegas, and the Oakland Coliseum.

#4 Some have said that it’s a bad idea for the A’s to play at Aviators park because it becomes a spoiler to the A’s 2028 arrival and it kind of blows the hype of the team after being there for three years in the making and sharing the ballpark with the Giants might not be a good idea because that’s a lot of wear on the turf for 162 games.

#5 Staying at the Oakland Coliseum from 2025-2027 might be the best place and they might as well finish up what they started and visiting teams have said they want to play in Major League facility rather than playing in a minor league facility like Las Vegas.

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

Headline Sports podcast with Stephen Ruderman: San Francisco future home of Oakland A’s?; Two women survive shooting at White Sox-A’s game in Chicago; plus NFL news

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The Oakland A’s could make Oracle Park in San Francisco their 2025 home and share it with the San Francisco Giants until their new park is built in Las Vegas in 2028 (SF Travel photo)

On Headline Sports podcast with Stephen Ruderman:

#1 Stephen, the Oakland A’s have presented the idea of working three different locations during the 2025 season after they finish their lease in 2024 at the Oakland Coliseum they are considering their minor league team the Las Vegas Aviators park, the Coliseum or Oracle Park home of the San Francisco Giants

#2 A’s president David Kaval said the final decision rests with MLB and the Commissioners office where the A’s would land in 2025 but the A’s could end up playing in either one of those locations or split up their home dates in all three locations.

#3 Shooting at White Sox Park on Friday night in the South Side of Chicago, the shooting that took place a mile away from Guarantee Rate Field that struck two women fans at the A’s and White Sox game. The two ladies were taken to Chicago University Medical Center for medical treatment and did not sustain life threatening injuries and it was reported they were shot in the leg the other woman was grazed in abdomen. The White Sox who had a concert scheduled at the end of the game which was canceled due to technical difficulties.

#4 Turning to the NFL and the Trey Lance trade to the Dallas Cowboys. Lance had a rough first game against the Las Vegas Raiders in week one of pre season he was sacked three times in four possessions and showed improvement against the Denver Broncos in week two of pre season but was traded none the less by the Niners in week three. According the head coach Kyle Shanahan Lance didn’t work out. Did he or did he not have anything left in the tank?

#5 Ironically Lance will face the Raiders a second time tonight this time as a Dallas Cowboy as the Cowboys host the Raiders at AT&T Stadium. Lance who was traded on Friday night will face the Raiders for a second time in pre season and hopes that the results will be better than the first time.

Stephen Ruderman is a podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com