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Post by mikecubs on Apr 4, 2024 11:30:04 GMT -6
Athletics to play at minor league park before Vegas residencyThe Athletics will leave Oakland after the 2024 season and play at least three years in a minor league ballpark in West Sacramento, the team and Oakland officials announced early Thursday morning. The move ends the Athletics' 56-year tenure in the East Bay, a stretch that included four World Series championships, though the current team appears to be headed for its third consecutive 100-loss season. T he agreement with Sacramento is a three-year lease for 2025 to 2027 with a team option for 2028 in case the planned ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip is not completed in time. The Athletics will share Sutter Health Park -- which has 10,624 permanent seats with lawn seating that boosts capacity to roughly 14,000 -- with the Sacramento River Cats, the San Francisco Giants' Triple-A team. Sutter Health Park is about 85 miles northeast of the Oakland Coliseum.Athletics president Dave Kaval called Oakland chief of staff Leigh Hanson at 7:36 a.m. PT to inform her of the team's decision. Owner John Fisher followed five minutes later with a call to Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, and the team announced its move on social media 10 minutes after that. "We explored several locations for a temporary home, including the Oakland Coliseum," Fisher said in a statement. "Even with the long-standing relationships and good intentions on all sides in the negotiations with Oakland, the conditions to achieve an agreement seemed out of reach. We understand the disappointment this news brings to our fans, as this season marks our final one in Oakland." The Athletics and Oakland had their final negotiating meeting Tuesday at the A's offices, where city representatives presented a five-year lease offer with a team opt-out after three. In that offer, the Athletics would have been responsible for a $97 million "extension fee" that would have been due in full even if the team chose to opt out. The Athletics currently pay $1.25 million per season to rent the Coliseum and the increased cost was the main sticking point in the negotiations, sources said. In the hours after that meeting, Oakland officials reached out to the Athletics with a revised offer: a three-year lease and a $60 million extension fee. That offer was contingent on Major League Baseball agreeing to a one-year exclusive right to solicit ownership for a future expansion team in Oakland. Sources indicated the Athletics were receptive to the new offer, but the team met with Sacramento officials less than 24 hours later and quickly agreed to a deal. "Oakland offered a deal that was fair to the A's and was fiscally responsible for our city," Thao said in a statement. "We wish the A's the best and will continue our conversations with them on facilitating the sale of their share of the Coliseum site. The City of Oakland will now focus on advancing redevelopment efforts at the Coliseum."Central to the deal in Sacramento is Kings owner Vivek RanadivΓ©, a friend of Fisher's and the owner of the River Cats. Sources said he views the Athletics' temporary residence in Sacramento as an audition for an MLB expansion team in the future."I'm thrilled to welcome the A's to Sutter Health Park, where players and fans alike can enjoy a world-class baseball experience and create unforgettable memories," RanadivΓ© said in a statement. "Today marks the next chapter of professional sports in Sacramento. The passion of our fans is second to none, and this is an incredible opportunity to showcase one of the most dynamic and vibrant markets in the country." MLB commissioner Rob Manfred thanked the Kings and leaders in the Sacramento area for getting an agreement done. Fisher owns half of the Oakland Coliseum property and has not attended a game since Kaval called Thao on April 19, 2023, to inform her of an agreement to move the team to Las Vegas. The sale of the Athletics' portion of the Coliseum site was a requirement of Oakland's offer. Hanson indicated the Athletics remain motivated to sell the site despite the decision to move to Sacramento. The Athletics are off to a 1-5 start and have drawn an average of 6,438 fans at the Coliseum through those six games. Fans dubbed this the "Summer of Boycott," which began on Opening Day, when thousands of fans protested Fisher's ownership by going to the game but remaining in the parking lot throughout. Jorge Leon, the president of the Oakland 68s, one of two fan groups that has organized boycotts and consulted with the city on its sports future, said he was "just really disappointed" by Thursday's announcement. "Seems like everyone is against Oakland, even regionally," Leon said. "You'd think a guy like Vivek and Sacramento would've understood what we're fighting for, but yet they're facilitating the move. It just goes to show you that the structure of American sports fails communities. It won't change until actual change has been made at the legislative level, but even then those in the capitol have also failed us." MLB owners unanimously approved the Athletics' relocation to Las Vegas after Fisher entered into an agreement to build a ballpark in the parking lot of the Tropicana Casino and Resort on the Las Vegas Strip. The team received $380 million in public funding from the Nevada State Legislature to build an estimated $1.5 billion stadium that -- if all goes according to plan -- will open for the 2028 season. "Throughout this season, we will honor and celebrate our time in Oakland," Fisher's statement read, "and will share additional details soon. www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39873638/athletics-play-minor-league-park-vegas-residency
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Post by mikecubs on Apr 4, 2024 11:35:47 GMT -6
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Post by 2b9 on Apr 5, 2024 17:31:16 GMT -6
Athletics to play at minor league park before Vegas residencyThe Athletics will leave Oakland after the 2024 season and play at least three years in a minor league ballpark in West Sacramento, the team and Oakland officials announced early Thursday morning. The move ends the Athletics' 56-year tenure in the East Bay, a stretch that included four World Series championships, though the current team appears to be headed for its third consecutive 100-loss season. T he agreement with Sacramento is a three-year lease for 2025 to 2027 with a team option for 2028 in case the planned ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip is not completed in time. The Athletics will share Sutter Health Park -- which has 10,624 permanent seats with lawn seating that boosts capacity to roughly 14,000 -- with the Sacramento River Cats, the San Francisco Giants' Triple-A team. Sutter Health Park is about 85 miles northeast of the Oakland Coliseum.Athletics president Dave Kaval called Oakland chief of staff Leigh Hanson at 7:36 a.m. PT to inform her of the team's decision. Owner John Fisher followed five minutes later with a call to Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, and the team announced its move on social media 10 minutes after that. "We explored several locations for a temporary home, including the Oakland Coliseum," Fisher said in a statement. "Even with the long-standing relationships and good intentions on all sides in the negotiations with Oakland, the conditions to achieve an agreement seemed out of reach. We understand the disappointment this news brings to our fans, as this season marks our final one in Oakland." The Athletics and Oakland had their final negotiating meeting Tuesday at the A's offices, where city representatives presented a five-year lease offer with a team opt-out after three. In that offer, the Athletics would have been responsible for a $97 million "extension fee" that would have been due in full even if the team chose to opt out. The Athletics currently pay $1.25 million per season to rent the Coliseum and the increased cost was the main sticking point in the negotiations, sources said. In the hours after that meeting, Oakland officials reached out to the Athletics with a revised offer: a three-year lease and a $60 million extension fee. That offer was contingent on Major League Baseball agreeing to a one-year exclusive right to solicit ownership for a future expansion team in Oakland. Sources indicated the Athletics were receptive to the new offer, but the team met with Sacramento officials less than 24 hours later and quickly agreed to a deal. "Oakland offered a deal that was fair to the A's and was fiscally responsible for our city," Thao said in a statement. "We wish the A's the best and will continue our conversations with them on facilitating the sale of their share of the Coliseum site. The City of Oakland will now focus on advancing redevelopment efforts at the Coliseum."Central to the deal in Sacramento is Kings owner Vivek RanadivΓ©, a friend of Fisher's and the owner of the River Cats. Sources said he views the Athletics' temporary residence in Sacramento as an audition for an MLB expansion team in the future."I'm thrilled to welcome the A's to Sutter Health Park, where players and fans alike can enjoy a world-class baseball experience and create unforgettable memories," RanadivΓ© said in a statement. "Today marks the next chapter of professional sports in Sacramento. The passion of our fans is second to none, and this is an incredible opportunity to showcase one of the most dynamic and vibrant markets in the country." MLB commissioner Rob Manfred thanked the Kings and leaders in the Sacramento area for getting an agreement done. Fisher owns half of the Oakland Coliseum property and has not attended a game since Kaval called Thao on April 19, 2023, to inform her of an agreement to move the team to Las Vegas. The sale of the Athletics' portion of the Coliseum site was a requirement of Oakland's offer. Hanson indicated the Athletics remain motivated to sell the site despite the decision to move to Sacramento. The Athletics are off to a 1-5 start and have drawn an average of 6,438 fans at the Coliseum through those six games. Fans dubbed this the "Summer of Boycott," which began on Opening Day, when thousands of fans protested Fisher's ownership by going to the game but remaining in the parking lot throughout. Jorge Leon, the president of the Oakland 68s, one of two fan groups that has organized boycotts and consulted with the city on its sports future, said he was "just really disappointed" by Thursday's announcement. "Seems like everyone is against Oakland, even regionally," Leon said. "You'd think a guy like Vivek and Sacramento would've understood what we're fighting for, but yet they're facilitating the move. It just goes to show you that the structure of American sports fails communities. It won't change until actual change has been made at the legislative level, but even then those in the capitol have also failed us." MLB owners unanimously approved the Athletics' relocation to Las Vegas after Fisher entered into an agreement to build a ballpark in the parking lot of the Tropicana Casino and Resort on the Las Vegas Strip. The team received $380 million in public funding from the Nevada State Legislature to build an estimated $1.5 billion stadium that -- if all goes according to plan -- will open for the 2028 season. "Throughout this season, we will honor and celebrate our time in Oakland," Fisher's statement read, "and will share additional details soon. www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39873638/athletics-play-minor-league-park-vegas-residency This is all very sad and an embarrassment. 2b9
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Post by 2b9 on Apr 5, 2024 17:33:51 GMT -6
Pics of the minor league park. It was built in 2000. Sacramento combined statistical area has 2.7M people. With this move the A's can try to save some of their local bay area TV money($60M per year) for 3 more seasons. Looks like the Winnipeg Goldeyes Park in Winnipeg/Independent League/Minor Baseball, our maximum attendance for the park is 7500. Our Baseball Stadium/Park faces the Red River in Winnipeg, so a bit more scenic than this one in Sacramento. 2b9π
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Post by mikecubs on Jun 2, 2024 8:21:48 GMT -6
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Post by 2b9 on Jun 2, 2024 8:56:56 GMT -6
The Tampa Bay Rays unveiled more renderings of their new ballpark. It will seat 30,000 with an extra 3,000 seats of standing room. It will be non retractable roof with field turf. The city council/county will vote on it next month and if approved there will be a groundbreaking in January. It will have the least amount of foul territory in the league Looks pretty good/coolπ. Cheers, 2b9πππ
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Post by mikecubs on Jun 2, 2024 9:22:05 GMT -6
I looks ok and is the right size for the Tampa market but I wish this would have been built on the Tampa side of the bay instead of St. Pete
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Post by mikecubs on Jun 7, 2024 14:15:10 GMT -6
akland A's request to play almost 10% of home games away from brand new Las Vegas stadium, per report Athletics president Dave Kaval claims the neutral site games would help build the brandThe Athletics have not yet officially moved to Las Vegas or even to Sacramento, their temporary home for at least the next three seasons, yet they already have their eyes on playing games in other markets. According to the team's proposed 30-year non-relocation agreement, obtained by the Nevada Independent, the Athletics are "requesting to play up to eight home games a season away from the team's future $1.5 billion Las Vegas ballpark." The Las Vegas Stadium Authority board is slated to vote on the arrangement on July 18. Athletics president Dave Kaval claims that the team wants to play neutral site home games in order to build the franchise's brand and to attract players and sponsors. It's unclear where, precisely, the A's intend to play those games -- be it domestically or internationally. It's also unclear that any player would be more inclined to join a franchise because they played 10% of their home schedule elsewhere; generally speaking, players prefer franchises that are willing to pay them market value, something the Athletics haven't been willing to do in quite some time. Steve Hill, the chairman of the Stadium Authority, told the Independent that the Athletics might have to reduce their requested amount of non-Vegas home games so that it doesn't impact their bonding capacity -- money that the team seeks to build the stadium in the first place. The number of home games played directly correlates to the bonding capacity, Hill said. (The Athletics are also, as of recently, seeking minority investors in an effort to raise an estimated $500 million for the stadium's construction. They're still believed to be on schedule to open come 2028.) Major League Baseball typically allows teams to play up to four home games elsewhere. In recent years, MLB has been more proactive about playing international contests, like the Seoul and London series, although those series tend to often run just two games in length. www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/oakland-as-request-to-play-almost-10-of-home-games-away-from-brand-new-las-vegas-stadium-per-report/
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Post by 2b9 on Jun 7, 2024 14:37:30 GMT -6
akland A's request to play almost 10% of home games away from brand new Las Vegas stadium, per report Athletics president Dave Kaval claims the neutral site games would help build the brandThe Athletics have not yet officially moved to Las Vegas or even to Sacramento, their temporary home for at least the next three seasons, yet they already have their eyes on playing games in other markets. According to the team's proposed 30-year non-relocation agreement, obtained by the Nevada Independent, the Athletics are "requesting to play up to eight home games a season away from the team's future $1.5 billion Las Vegas ballpark." The Las Vegas Stadium Authority board is slated to vote on the arrangement on July 18. Athletics president Dave Kaval claims that the team wants to play neutral site home games in order to build the franchise's brand and to attract players and sponsors. It's unclear where, precisely, the A's intend to play those games -- be it domestically or internationally. It's also unclear that any player would be more inclined to join a franchise because they played 10% of their home schedule elsewhere; generally speaking, players prefer franchises that are willing to pay them market value, something the Athletics haven't been willing to do in quite some time. Steve Hill, the chairman of the Stadium Authority, told the Independent that the Athletics might have to reduce their requested amount of non-Vegas home games so that it doesn't impact their bonding capacity -- money that the team seeks to build the stadium in the first place. The number of home games played directly correlates to the bonding capacity, Hill said. (The Athletics are also, as of recently, seeking minority investors in an effort to raise an estimated $500 million for the stadium's construction. They're still believed to be on schedule to open come 2028.) Major League Baseball typically allows teams to play up to four home games elsewhere. In recent years, MLB has been more proactive about playing international contests, like the Seoul and London series, although those series tend to often run just two games in length. www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/oakland-as-request-to-play-almost-10-of-home-games-away-from-brand-new-las-vegas-stadium-per-report/ I like the idea of 8 games being played elsewhere. Cheers, 2b9πππ
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Post by mikecubs on Jun 7, 2024 14:41:36 GMT -6
I don't that's too many. 4 would be ok
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Post by 2b9 on Jun 7, 2024 14:54:27 GMT -6
I don't that's too many. 4 would be ok Letβs split it at 6π. Cheers, 2b9πππ
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Post by mikecubs on Jun 8, 2024 5:22:31 GMT -6
I don't that's too many. 4 would be ok Letβs split it at 6π. Cheers, 2b9πππ That wouldn't be the worst since you'd lose 2 3 game series. I think the reason the A's want to do this is to have international games in Asia and Mexico City vs. not popular teams that wouldn't draw a load of visiting fans. Vegas isn't going to be a very strong MLB market and they admit they will be reliant of lots of road fans.
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Post by 2b9 on Jun 8, 2024 8:46:19 GMT -6
Letβs split it at 6π. Cheers, 2b9πππ That wouldn't be the worst since you'd lose 2 3 game series. I think the reason the A's want to do this is to have international games in Asia and Mexico City vs. not popular teams that wouldn't draw a load of visiting fans. Vegas isn't going to be a very strong MLB market and they admit they will be reliant of lots of road fans. π Cheers, 2b9πππ
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Post by mikecubs on Jul 19, 2024 10:24:06 GMT -6
Exec tells Vegas A's don't plan to use full $380M of public funds Oakland Athletics executive Sandy Dean told the Las Vegas Stadium Authority on Thursday that the club does not expect to spend the entire $380 million in public money allocated to build a new stadium in Las Vegas. Dean said the A's plan to spend $350 million of those funds, leaving $30 million on the table. He also told the authority that the club plans to finance $300 million of the stadium cost, but no lenders have been secured."We've had strong interest from a number of companies that want to participate in that portion of the project," Dean said. The other $850 million needed to build the $1.5 billion stadium would come from private equity. The A's have hired New York-based Galatioto Sports Partners to help find investors. A 30-year non-relocation agreement was discussed but not acted upon at Thursday's board meeting. A's officials have asked for up to seven games over two years that otherwise would be played in Las Vegas to possibly be played internationally or at special U.S. sites such as the Field of Dreams in Iowa. No more than four of those games in a year would be played outside Las Vegas.The A's hope to open the 33,000-seat ballpark for the 2028 season. They addressed the financing to supplement the public funding approved by the Democratic-controlled Nevada Legislature in a special session last June and signed by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo. Dean and Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said the financing will be in place for the John Fisher-owned ballclub. "The Fisher family could do all of the required equity for the project," Dean said. Hill said the lease agreement will be discussed at the Aug. 15 stadium authority meeting, but he said he didn't expect votes to occur on the documents required for construction until Dec. 19. Hill said he expected the ballpark to be completed on schedule."This town knows how to build major projects and knows how to build them fast," Hill said. "This is a relatively conservative pace. Allegiant Stadium was built in less time than the A's have budgeted to build this baseball stadium. That's different construction, but there's plenty of time to do that. Everything's on track." The stadium authority is using the template that led to the 2020 opening of Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL's Raiders. That template included personal seat licenses, which also allow fans to secure seats for other events, such as concerts. The Raiders raised nearly $550 million through PSLs. Dean said that although the A's have PSLs at their disposal, the club hasn't decided where to offer them for purchase."The Raiders had amazing success with PSLs," Dean said. "Football and baseball are really different because there are so many more games in baseball and that makes an individual season ticket for baseball [more] meaningfully compared to football for the same price." Those who buy tickets will have an outward-facing view of Strip resorts MGM Grand and New York-New York. The exact location had been somewhat of a mystery. "It's a step that needs to happen in order to move forward with the development," Hill said. This is the A's final season in Oakland. They agreed to play the following three seasons, with an option for a fourth, in a Triple-A stadium in West Sacramento, California. The A's will share that facility with the River Cats, the San Francisco Giants' Triple-A club. www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40592898/exec-tells-vegas-dont-plan-use-full-380m-public-funds
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Post by mikecubs on Jul 19, 2024 10:26:26 GMT -6
Rays' new ballpark approved by St. Petersburg city councilThe Tampa Bay Rays are on track to get a long-sought new ballpark following a city council vote Thursday on a major redevelopment project that also guarantees the team will stay where it is for at least 30 years. The ballpark is part of a broader $6.5 billion project that supporters say would transform an 86-acre (34-hectare) tract in the city's downtown, with plans in the coming years for a Black history museum, affordable housing, a hotel, green space, entertainment venues, and office and retail space. There's the promise of thousands of jobs as well. The site, where the Rays' domed, tilted Tropicana Field and its expansive parking lots now sit, was once a thriving Black community displaced by construction of the ballpark and an interstate highway. A priority for St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch is to right some of those past wrongs in what is known as the Historic Gas Plant District. "This is a day that has been more than 40 years in the making," said Welch, the city's first Black mayor with family ties to the old neighborhood. "It is a major win for our city." T he St. Petersburg City Council voted 5-3 for the plan, which also must be approved by the Pinellas County Commission. A county vote is set for later this month.
"This has far-reaching implications far beyond the baseball field," council member Ed Montanari said. The linchpin of the project is the planned $1.3 billion ballpark with 30,000 seats and a fixed roof, scheduled to open for the 2028 season. That will cap years of uncertainty about the Rays' future, including possible moves across the bay to Tampa, or to Nashville, Tennessee, or even to split home games between St. Petersburg and Montreal, an idea MLB rejected. Stu Sternberg, the Rays' principal owner, said final approval of the project would settle the question of the team's future location. "It's always been our intention and my intention to have the team remain in Tampa Bay, specifically St. Petersburg," Sternberg said before the vote. "We have never considered taking the team elsewhere, out of the region." The Rays typically draw among the lowest attendance in MLB, even though the team has made the playoffs five years in a row. This year, at this week's All-Star break, the Rays have a 48-48 record, placing them fourth in the American League East division. The financing plan calls for the city to spend about $417.5 million, including $287.5 million for the ballpark itself and $130 million in infrastructure for the larger redevelopment project that would include such things as sewage, traffic signals and roads. The city envisions no new or increased taxes. Pinellas County, meanwhile, would spend about $312.5 million for its share of the ballpark costs. Officials say the county money will come from a bed tax largely funded by visitors that can be spent only on tourist-related and economic development expenses. The county commission is tentatively set to vote on the plan July 30.The rest of the project would mainly be funded by a partnership between the Rays and the Houston-based Hines global development company. It will take decades to complete. The ballpark plan is part of a wave of construction or renovation projects at sports venues across the country, including the Milwaukee Brewers, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Oakland Athletics, who are planning to relocate to Las Vegas. Like the Rays proposal, all of the projects come with millions of dollars in public funding that usually draws opposition. Although the city's business and political leadership is mostly behind the deal, there are detractors. Council member Richie Floyd said there are many more ways the ballpark money could be spent to meet numerous community needs. "It still represents one of the largest stadium subsidies in MLB history. That's the core of my concern," Floyd said. A citizen group called "No Home Run" and other organizations opposed the deal, with the conservative/libertarian Americans for Prosperity contending the track record for other publicly financed sports stadiums is not encouraging. "The economic benefits promised by proponents of publicly funded sports stadiums fail to materialize time and time again," said Skylar Zander, the group's state director. "Studies have consistently shown that the return on investment for such projects is questionable at best, with most of the economic gains flowing to private interests rather than the general public." Still, the project seems to have momentum on its side. For former residents and descendants of the Gas Plant District neighborhood, it can't come soon enough. "All over this country our history is erased. That will not happen here," said Gwendolyn Reese, president of the African American Heritage Association of St. Petersburg. "Our voices will be heard. And not just heard, but valued." www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40591717/rays-new-ballpark-approved-st-petersburg-city-council
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