Stadium/Arena Saga Omnibus

[GDAWG]

Las Vegas?  Of course Las Vegas.  They want to be a major league city so bad that they are willing to get MLB, MLS and NBA to go along with NHL and NFL.  They were not satisfied with just the Golden Knights, they want it all!  This is way too fast.

[SFGiants58]

The exact quote was “Las Vegas or somewhere else.” That was a carefully-selected word choice, given the Raiders moving to Las Vegas.

[gosioux76]

39 minutes ago, SFGiants58 said:

The exact quote was “Las Vegas or somewhere else.” That was a carefully-selected word choice, given the Raiders moving to Las Vegas.

Exactly. I wouldn't read into this as an endorsement for Las Vegas. It's just that Las Vegas is top-of-mind already in Oakland for any conversation related to relocation. The broader point was, "this happened to the Raiders, it will happen with the A's, too." 

[FiddySicks]

Three things: 

 

1). Sacramento would be a head and shoulders better fit than Vegas for the A's.

2). Vegas is going to run out of water in the next half century and will collapse into the earth's mantle.

3). I won't be sad when this happens.

 

[dont care]

Sacramento wouldn’t create an anti A’s sentiment like moving the chargers to LA?

[Wings]

There's tons of A's fans in the Sacramento area. I don't think the A's would have a problem filling a 38,000 seat stadium. The summer heat would be the only big issue. 

 

[Maroon]

3 hours ago, Bucfan56 said:

Three things: 

 

1). Sacramento would be a head and shoulders better fit than Vegas for the A's.

2). Vegas is going to run out of water in the next half century and will collapse into the earth's mantle.

3). I won't be sad when this happens.

 

 

I have no connection to Sacramento. I've never even been there. But the whole Kings to Seattle debacle kinda permanently put me on Sacramento's side of things. If the A's ever relocate (although it'd be better if they didn't), Sacramento would be great.

[Jake3roo]

I'd most want to see the Athletics move to somewhere like Portland or Austin/San Antonio. Las Vegas proved that sure, they can support a hockey team for two years. But to support NHL, NFL, and now MLB that quick? It seems like one of those 3 teams would relocate again pretty soon due to expenses and lack of support. Also who's to say that the Athletics won't run into similar stadium issues if they choose to share a stadium with the Raiders (again).

 

I might be out of the loop, but what's wrong with Oakland? The Warriors just moved out (sure, to San Fransisco), and the Raiders now, is it just a terrible city to have a franchise in?

[FiddySicks]

27 minutes ago, Jake3.roo said:

I might be out of the loop, but what's wrong with Oakland? The Warriors just moved out (sure, to San Fransisco), and the Raiders now, is it just a terrible city to have a franchise in?

 

The city is flat broke. Basically the entire maritime shipping economy that supported the city back in it's heyday has fled across the bay for various different reasons. Bay Area real estate has ballooned to the point where they just can't keep up any longer. Basic services such as fire and police are an underfunded mess, which is why crime is downright horrendous in that area (Worst in the country, in most years). Oakland is fighting like hell to avoid getting sucked up by the rich, tech funded gentrification that has invaded the rest of the Bay Area and they're failing miserably at it and paying the price. 

 

There's more to it than that, of course, and someone like @dfwabel could probably elaborate on it better than I can, but that's basically it, in simplest terms. 

[bosrs1]

On 10/9/2019 at 8:22 AM, Maroon said:

I don't see it happening, but it would be miserable if it did. Not only is Vegas not even in the top five of cities that would be good fits for an MLB team, but to move such a storied franchise to a city devoid of baseball history would be egregiously bad.

 

If we were early in this process I’d agree. But the A’s are about to enter year 26 of their new stadium hunt. At some point MLB will run out of patience with the frankly unprofessional environment the A’s are forced to endure. 

[LMU]

There's something to be said that the A's AAA affiliate managed to finally get out of their own cesspool of a stadium and yet the parent is still left dealing with complete squalor.

 

If Oakland keeps being done I'm putting money on Portland.

[dfwabel]

23 hours ago, Jake3.roo said:

I'd most want to see the Athletics move to somewhere like Portland or Austin/San Antonio. Las Vegas proved that sure, they can support a hockey team for two years. But to support NHL, NFL, and now MLB that quick? It seems like one of those 3 teams would relocate again pretty soon due to expenses and lack of support. Also who's to say that the Athletics won't run into similar stadium issues if they choose to share a stadium with the Raiders (again).

 

I might be out of the loop, but what's wrong with Oakland? The Warriors just moved out (sure, to San Fransisco), and the Raiders now, is it just a terrible city to have a franchise in?

 

23 hours ago, Bucfan56 said:

 

The city is flat broke. Basically the entire maritime shipping economy that supported the city back in it's heyday has fled across the bay for various different reasons. Bay Area real estate has ballooned to the point where they just can't keep up any longer. Basic services such as fire and police are an underfunded mess, which is why crime is downright horrendous in that area (Worst in the country, in most years). Oakland is fighting like hell to avoid getting sucked up by the rich, tech funded gentrification that has invaded the rest of the Bay Area and they're failing miserably at it and paying the price. 

 

There's more to it than that, of course, and someone like @dfwabel could probably elaborate on it better than I can, but that's basically it, in simplest terms. 

Unlike other metro areas, Oakland and its growth in the tech sector is not the problem, however like many municipalities of all sizes, Oakland's budget deficit of $43M over their two year budget, is an Expense problem. High worker pension and increasing health costs is what is damaging them municipally.

 

East Bay not only has had population growth in the last two decades, but also a large demographic shift, but less than 10% of all new housing is classified as "Affordable".

 

The Port of Oakland agreed to a Term Sheet with The Athletics this past May and it gives the team four years to their act together, but getting state approval for all the EIR (Environmental Impact Reports), is more of a holdup for the team than anything from the city and/or Alameda County.

[The_Admiral]

I think all that speaks to why I've always had such a soft spot for Oakland teams: it's basically a hard-done-by Midwestern city but on the Pacific Ocean. You could be writing similar stuff about Chicago or Detroit.

[TrueYankee26]

9 minutes ago, the admiral said:

I think all that speaks to why I've always had such a soft spot for Oakland teams: it's basically a hard-done-by Midwestern city but on the Pacific Ocean. You could be writing similar stuff about Chicago or Detroit.

It also reminds me of Jersey City, a decent sized, historically working class city overshadowed by its brother across the river/bay (NYC, SF), and their downtowns are rapidly gentrifying because of said proximity to main city.

[The_Admiral]

Wasn't Jersey City's gentrification a direct result of 9/11? I believe a lot of WTC tenants wound up moving over the river.

[TrueYankee26]

24 minutes ago, the admiral said:

Wasn't Jersey City's gentrification a direct result of 9/11? I believe a lot of WTC tenants wound up moving over the river.

From what I read, the roots were planted in the 80s, but yes starting in the 2000s it really took off because of the WTC tenants moving across the Hudson. And of course location location location.

[sky1324]

While the A's moving wouldn't be ideal, my money's on Portland if it does happen. I think the A's identity fits really well there, and it provides Seattle another PNW AL team so they don't have such a bad schedule (though two Texas teams is what really does the damage). I think Vegas would be incredibly short-sighted (as I believe the Raiders moving there is) and would harm the A's and MLB in the long run. 

[FiddySicks]

Well one thing is for sure. I’d be more willing to accept an A’s move to Portland than I would :censored:ing Vegas again. 

 

 

Leaving the Bay Area for goddamn Vegas just in general is nuts. It’s such a massive downgrade in so many ways. Portland is at least a cool city. 

[DustDevil61]

I don’t ever see it coming any closer to reality than this (especially with Portland and Las Vegas our there), but a few MLB fans in Utah have started the hashtag #MLBtoSLC and one local graphic designer made a quick mock-up of what the “Salt Lake Athletics” would look like:

 

And for the fun of it, he also made a mock-up of the “Salt Lake A’zz.” His thoughts—and those who responded to him—are exactly as you would think:

 

Again, I don’t ever see it happening, but fun to think about nonetheless.

[Discrim]

On 10/9/2019 at 2:02 PM, dont care said:

Sacramento wouldn’t create an anti A’s sentiment like moving the chargers to LA?

Oakland's basically the West Coast version of St. Paul, so their blood feud's with San Francisco.  A pity the Giants won't give up San Jose, but Sacramento would likely be much better received than Vegas at this point.