San Jose took measures to protect land worth $25 million — dedicated to a new Oakland Athletics ballpark — from a state takeover of redevelopment agencies, and the land appears safe for now. Flash back to last year, when the California Assembly and Gov. Jerry Brown were looking for ways to balance the state budget. […]
Archive | Major-League Baseball
Yankees Old-Timers’ Day set for Sunday
It’s one of the great events in Major League Baseball: The New York Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day is scheduled for this coming Sunday, July 1. Though most MLB teams invite former greats back for ceremonies like this one, none is as emotionally resounding as the Yankees event; there’s something very special when the likes of Yogi Berra, […]
Anheuser-Busch joins forces with Cards at Ballpark Village
The St. Louis Cardinals and the Cordish Cos. have a new partner in the $100-million first phase of Ballpark Village, next to Busch Stadium: Anheuser-Busch will launch a bar/restaurant complex. Under the licensing and sponsorship agreement, Anheuser-Busch will lend its name to a venue that includes a restaurant with German-inspired cuisine, more than 100 national and […]
MLB: Attendance could hit 80M this season
Attendance at Major League Baseball games is up some 8.1 percent this season, and there’s an outside chance the sport could set an all-time record for attendance. Right now MLB teams are on a pace to draw the most fans since 2008, with the chance of reaching 80 million for the first time in history. […]
Target Field generated $170M in economic activity in 2010: study
Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins, generated at least $169.3 million in economic activity in its first year of operation and contributed to a 40 percent rise in liquor-tax revenues. That’s just a part of the economic impact of the $555-million facility, which also includes $4.8 million in payroll taxes on Twins players in […]
Rays to go retro — before team existed
We’re hoping this won’t be a trend, but it’s still cool: Next Sunday the Tampa Bay Rays will don uniforms designed as if the team existed in 1979 — the ultimate “fauxback” look. It’s a “Turn Back the Clock” promotion for the Rays on June 30, when the Detroit Tigers visit Tropicana Field. And while […]
O’Malley group has inside track to land Padres: report
The O’Malley name could be back in Major League Baseball, as a group led by Peter O’Malley is said to have the inside track on landing the San Diego Padres — provided they can meet the asking price. The San Diego News-Tribune’s Bill Center is reporting John Moores has been meeting with the two finalists […]
More affiliation issues: Cedar Rapids reevaluating Angels as parent
It’s the time of the year when Minor League Baseball teams start looking at their upcoming affiliations, and the Low Class A Midwest League may be fertile ground for PDC changes. Eleven teams in the 16-team circuit have player-development contracts expiring at the end of the season. (Though the Dayton/Cincinnati PDC is technically up, the […]
Twins sign 30-year spring-training lease extension
The Minnesota Twins and Lee County agreed on a 30-year lease extension to keep the team in Fort Myers, but the rest of the agreement — covering improvements and funding — is not yet public. It’s an unusual situation, to be sure. And there are plenty of contingencies at play, so it’s not nearly important […]
San Jose to fund Municipal Stadium repairs
An attempt to hold up routine maintenance on Municipal Stadium, home of the San Jose Giants (High Class A; California League), as a proxy battle against the San Francisco Giants failed today. The routine maintenance, slated to cost $85,000, would improve field drainage and add striping to the parking lot, among other things, per the […]
Lee County: Twins spring-training improvements hinge on state grant
Any improvements to spring-training facilities for the Minnesota Twins will need to be funded largely by state funds and the Twins, as Lee County officials say they won’t raise taxes to cover new funding. After spending months saying they’d take care of the Twins after spending $80 million on a new spring facility for the […]
San Jose: Why are we being so friendly to the Giants?
The battle for a new MLB ballpark in San Jose is spilling over to the minor-league side, as local officials question whether the San Jose Giants (High Class A; California League) are paying enough in rent for Municipal Stadium. The Cal League team, largely owned and managed by parent San Francisco Giants, pays $1,000 monthly […]
Mets exploring “quiet section” at Citi Field
In a survey of fans, the New York Mets raised the possibility of adding a designated quiet area to the stands of Citi Field. From the New York Daily News: But the one question that virtually jumped off the e-mail was: “The Mets are considering adding a designated ‘quiet’ seating section with lower volume PA […]