There could be movement soon in major league baseball as commissioner Rob Manfred admitted on Saturday that he was no longer sure the Athletics would play in Oakland in the future.
Speaking on Chris Russo’s “Mad Dog Unleashed” podcast, Manfred explained that he expected a move to Las Vegas, without specifying a timeline.
“I think the mayor of Oakland has gone to great lengths to try to make it work in Oakland. It just looks like it won’t work, Manfred said. I believe the A’s maneuvered cautiously to explore the Las Vegas alternative, because it’s not moving forward in Oakland. I believe they should look for an alternative.”
The commissioner would like the organization with nine titles of the World Series to follow the example of the Raiders, in the NFL, which left Oakland for the capital of the game in 2020. On the NBA side, the Golden State Warriors have also left Alameda County to settle in San Francisco.
Not showing a very good product on the field as evidenced by their 60-102 record, the A’s have played in front of tiny crowds this season. This was especially the case at the start of the campaign, when less than 3,000 fans passed through the turnstiles of the RingCentral Coliseum during a meeting.
Major league baseball officials strongly encouraged the Athletics to build a new stadium, as the RingCentral Coliseum was deemed outdated. The California Amphitheater opened in 1966.
The Athletics’ lease at the Coliseum will end in 2024. The cost of building a stadium in Oakland could be around $1 billion. However, an agreement fell through in September for the Howard Terminal project.
The Rays in place?
Manfred said he was much more confident of the Tampa Bay Rays. He believes the team will do what it takes to stay in Florida by building a new stadium. Some Quebec supporters still hope for outlets in this project – although improbable – which would allow a return of the Montreal Expos.
“I think with a well-located amphitheater around Tampa Bay, Tampa is a viable market for the majors,” he told SiriusXM radio Friday. I have faith in Stu Sternberg (the owner of the Rays). I believe they’ll find a good place to build a stadium and I believe baseball can thrive in Tampa.”
In January, the Rays’ shared custody plan between Tampa and Montreal hit a wall. Businessman Stephen Bronfman had indicated that the project, supported by Sternberg, had been refused by the league, after several years of study.
