Oakland A’s Relocation podcast with Daniel Dullum: The wait continues for A’s share of construction costs; 1000s to be laid off after A’s season

Sandy Dean Oakland A’s owner John Fisher business partner addresses the Las Vegas Stadium Authority on Thu Jul 18, 2024 (LV Sports Biz.com photo)

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

#1 Lots happening the Oakland A’s still have time to come up with the $500 million for their share of the construction costs towards the Las Vegas ballpark on the strip. Sandy Dean Oakland A’s owner John Fisher business partner spoke to the Las Vegas Stadium Authority saying the A’s were in good shape financially.

#2 The truth of the matter is the A’s do not have the money right now for their share of the construction costs and it’s due by the end of this year. Dean says the A’s will have the money coming from debt that’s owed the team, the Fisher Family, and other interests.

#3 It was announced earlier this week that the A’s will be laying off over 1000 employees whether they be contractors or team employees that are not non baseball jobs because there are Sacramento Rivercats employees who are available to take up those jobs. Just a very few will survive the job cuts and will be coming up to Sacramento to work for the team.

#4 As far as we’ve learned most of the A’s radio and TV air talent will survive the cuts except for Vince Cotroneo who had broadcast with the team since 2006 will be leaving after this season due to the A’s not extending his contract.

#5 Amongst some of the departments being laid off at the A’s marketing, community relations, field operations, legal and ticket services which the Rivercats will cover when the A’s get to Sacramento.

Daniel Dullum does the Oakland A’s Relocation podcast each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s announcer Vince Cotroneo announces retirement after 41 years behind the mic

Oakland A’s broadcasters Vince Cotroneo, left, and Ken Korach talk in the radio booth before the start of the game against the San Francisco Giants Sunday May 21, 2006 at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. This was Cotroneo’s first year with the A’s. (Bay Area News Group, Bob Larson/Staff Archives)

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

After 41 years of calling professional baseball Oakland A’s broadcaster Vince Cotroneo is hanging up the microphone. This is my 32nd year calling Major League Baseball.” Cotroneo said, “2024 will be my last year broadcasting for the Athletics.”

Cotroneo joined the A’s after the passing of legendary broadcaster Bill King in 2006. Cotroneo worked minor league games from various locations from 1984-1990. In the 1991 season he got his break with his first Major League job in 1991 broadcasting Houston Astros games until the 1997 season. Cotroneo called Texas Rangers games from 1997 to 2003 and was out of broadcasting in 2004 and 2005.

It was not until 2006 after the passing of Bill King that Cotroneo was hired to be the number two announcer in the A’s radio booth behind lead announcer Ken Korach. Last season (2023) after A’s TV play by play announcer Glen Kuiper who used the N word on live TV and was fired by the A’s Cotroneo stepped in and did a spectacular job as the TV play by play announcer.

For the 2024 season Cotroneo went back to doing radio and the A’s had announced in the off season that they would be moving to Sacramento to play for the interim while their Tropicana ballpark is being built in Las Vegas. With Sutter Health Field being a minor league facility a smaller venue to work in for radio it might have been part of the reason why Cotroneo is leaving.

Jerry Feitelberg is an Oakland A’s podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com