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 […]
Tag Archives | oakland athletics
Milwaukee, Phoenix extend Maryvale Baseball Park lease for three years
The Milwaukee Brewers and the city of Phoenix are extending the team’s spring-training lease at Maryvale Baseball Park for three years and will negotiate a new, longer agreement. The three-year lease extension calls for $1.5 million in improvements immediately, and the two sides will discuss more improvements in further lease negotiations. The improvements will be […]
Wolff: A’s aren’t for sale
The Oakland Athletics aren’t for sale, according to owner Lew Wolff, adding that no prospective buyer has contacted him. “No one has contacted me,” Wolff told the Oakland Tribune in a phone interview. “It’s not for sale, but no one has contacted me. Someone made that story up, I think.” It was reported yesterday that […]
Suitors emerge for Oakland Athletics
Well, this is going to make Lew Wolff’s San Jose quest more difficult: two groups say they want to buy the Oakland Athletics and keep them in Oakland. The groups, as identified by the San Francisco Chronicle, include a group that dropped out of the bidding for the Los Angeles Dodgers and another that incudes […]
Turf wars rage again in Bay Area: A’s say San Jose move doesn’t infringe on Giants
A move to San Jose wouldn’t really infringe on any territorial rights held by the San Francisco Giants, according to A’s officials who continue working on a new-ballpark plan. Last week saw a lot of speculation about whether or not the A’s would be allowed to build a new ballpark in downtown San Jose, which […]
Cactus League facing uncertainty, financial issues
With Oakland and Milwaukee potentially relocating and tourism taxes coming up short, Cactus League officials are working to identify new sources of revenue to pay down spring-training-ballpark debt. While it’s highly unlikely either team will leave the greater Phoenix area — Oakland is negotiating a move to HoHoKam Park once the Cubbies depart and the […]
The Week That Was: March 11
A new spring-training ballpark, the passing of a respected baseball figure and more debate about a potential Oakland A’s move. Here are the top stories of the past week on Ballpark Digest, as measured in page views. JetBlue Park at Fenway South / Boston Red Sox MLB: No, there’s been no decision on Oakland A’s […]
Oakland: One last gasp at keeping A’s
Oakland will take one last run at keeping the Athletics by paying $3.5 million on an attempt to persuade private investors to upgrade facilities at the Coliseum sports complex. The city will pay $1.6 million to JRDV Architects, Forest City Enterprises and HKS Sports and Entertainment to determine the long-term feasibility of the complex, which […]
MLB: No, there’s been no decision on Oakland A’s to San Jose
A report saying Major League Baseball would deny a move by the Oakland Athletics to San Jose is incorrect, according to MLB officials. A story in the New York Daily News reported that MLB would prevent the A’s from moving due to opposition from San Francisco Giants ownership; San Jose is part of the Giants’ […]
In memoriam: Don Mincher
Former Southern League president, Huntsville Stars owner and Major Leaguer Don Mincher passed away last night after a long illness. He was 73. Mincher retired last fall as president of the Class AA Southern League due to the health problems. The league is still searching for a replacement. A Huntsville native, Mincher began his career […]
It’s Truck Day — and the first day of workouts
We have a weird situation this year in spring training: it’s Truck Day for the Boston Red Sox and the reporting date for the Seattle Mariners. In other words: baseball season has officially begun. Normally we don’t see Truck Day for most MLB teams so close to a reporting date. But this is a weird […]
Oakland bows out of Victory Court site for new A’s ballpark
Faced with a lack of redevelopment funds seized by the state, Oakland is dropping its plans for a new Athletics ballpark at Victory Court — leading the way for a move of the team to San Jose. Regular readers of Ballpark Digest have followed the issues posed to professional sports by the decision from the […]
Bud Selig: Commissioner for life?
Bud Selig is set to sign another two-year extension to serve as MLB commissioner, despite promises he would retire this year. Why is he sticking around? To settle some loose ends, we’re told. Not many in baseball were truly surprised when MLB owners unanimously voted to offer a two-year extension to Selig; there had been […]