With a roadmap to a new Oakland Athletics ballpark seemingly a year away, there’s one factor fueling Lew Wolff’s desire to see a new ballpark opened by 2016: his age. Tyler Kepner had a nice article on Wolff’s quest for a new San Jose ballpark, an issue that’s not yielded an easy solution for MLB […]
Tag Archives | mlb
Fox, Turner retain MLB broadcast rights; NBC shut out
Fox Sports and Turner Sports are retaining rights to broadcast MLB games in 2014 and beyond, with Fox using an expanded portfolio of games as the cornerstone of Fox Sports One, a sports network to be built off the existing Speed Channel. The New York Times is reporting the deal, but doesn’t have any information on […]
More bidders emerging for MLB TV rights?
CBS could end up being part of a new package of rightsholders for MLB broadcasts or Fox could use an expanded rights buy to launch a new sports channel, as talks continue. With ESPN doubling its financial commitment to MLB broadcasts, the bar was set for what MLB will expect from other bidders when the […]
It’s official: Target Field to host 2014 All-Star Game
The Minnesota Twins, Major League Baseball and Bud Selig made it official today: the 2014 MLB All-Star Game will be played July 15 at Target Field. “It is my great honor to name the Minnesota Twins as the hosts of the 2014 All-Star Game,” Selig said in announcing the game today. “This is especially meaningful to […]
Waterfront site emerging as potential A’s home
Once written off as an expensive alternative for a ballpark site, the Howard Terminal waterfront site in downtown Oakland is being pushed as a prime location for a new Oakland A’s facility thanks to changing circumstances. What’s different? The site’s owner, the Port of Oakland, has decided the 51-acre terminal isn’t crucial for maritime operations; there’s plenty […]
Japanese players: We’re ready to skip WBC
Japanese professional baseball players are threatening to boycott the 2013 World Baseball Classic because of a revenue deal giving two-thirds of the proceeds to MLB and players union, and only 13 percent to them. The split is unfair, they say, because the event is popular in Asia and derives a lot of the $18 million […]
The first pro baseball team to sport uniform sponsor logos? Rockford
This, to the best of our knowledge, is a first: the Rockford RiverHawks (independent; Frontier League) are wearing uniform sponsor logos for every game, in a straight sale of sponsorship rights. We’re not counting auto racing, golf or MLS soccer and don’t want to embark on a discussion of whether these are major sports; for the […]
New Astros uniforms: Bring back the orange!
The Houston Astros will have new uniforms for 2013, and owner Jim Crane says they’ll be bringing back colors of the past — and given team history, we’re thinking orange. Crane told the Houston Chronicle “some of the colors in the past” would be part of a new design, chosen after months of design and focus-group testing: “We’ve […]
Winners and losers in the 2012 MLB attendance stats
MLB attendance is up 4.2 percent this season over last, but there are some surprising laggards at the box office this season — though it doesn’t seem to matter whether a team wins or loses. The convention wisdom on the MLB level is that it matters at the box office whether a team is winning […]
MLB looking to alter interleague play to curtail rivalries: report
A scheduling reconfiguration in 2013 made necessary by the move of the Houston Astros to the American League could change the two annual rivalry series so popular at the box office. ESPNNewYork.com is reporting the shift, part of the move to permanent interleague play in 2013 when there are 15 teams in each league. Right […]
Is Bakersfield on cusp of new ballpark?
The sale of the Bakersfield Blaze (High Class A; California League) is in final stages of MLB approval — which means speculation about the team’s next phase, a new ballpark, is close to beginning. It’s an open secret in MiLB circles that the sale of the team included plans for a new privately financed ballpark, […]
Today’s A’s/Giants update: nothing new
It’s maybe the most closely watched business issue in MLB these days, but there’s nothing new in the battle between the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants over San Jose. The New York Times had a nice report on the state of affairs in the A’s/Giants standoff: the A’s want San Jose, the Giants control […]
Astros to bring backs Colt .45s jersey this season
To mark the team’s 50th anniversary, the ever-colorful Houston Astros will be bringing back Houston Colt .45 jerseys for two April games and sport other retro unis throughout the year. The team will don the jerseys at their April 10 and April 20 games at Minute Maid Park. The jersey, worn when the team was […]