A’s proposal could be the beginning of the end for their time in Oakland
The Oakland Athletics released an open letter to the City of Oakland on Monday looking to make a deal on The Coliseum.
The Oakland Athletics face perhaps the most dire stadium situation in MLB. From raw sewage on the field to difficulties securing an alternate site for a new facility, finding a long-term solution for the team’s foremost problem is obviously at the top of the to-do list for the franchise.
It was on Monday that a new wrinkle emerged in the on-going drama, when the A’s posted the following to all of their social media accounts.
https://twitter.com/Athletics/status/978275521661304832
The language of the letter is pretty clear. In exchange for paying off the debt the city currently owes on the stadium, the A’s want full ownership of The Coliseum and all adjacent structures, which would include the current-but-soon-to-be-former home of the Golden State Warriors. The A’s state they want to acquire The Coliseum complex as a backup plan in case what they disclose as a more preferred option, a new facility at Howard Terminal, doesn’t work out. The overarching theme of the letter is that it will provide insurance the team will remain in Oakland.
That sentiment is on the surface a sign of good faith in negotiating with Oakland on the current stadium issue, but this situation could easily and quickly turn on its head regardless of how the city responds to the A’s offer.
How the A’s could turn this into a get out of jail free card
If the city is unwilling to budge on its ownership of The Coliseum and the obstacles that were mentioned to the Howard Terminal site remain in place, the A’s will be able to use making this offer to the city to spin the eventual news that they’re looking to relocate the team in a positive light for themselves. In essence, they will be able to say, “we tried everything we could and the city forced us to consider other options.” Even if the city acquiesces fully, however, that still could open the door for the A’s to follow the Raiders out of town.
If the city transfers ownership of The Coliseum to the A’s, that’s essentially a “buyout” of the lease for the A’s, no different than a private tenant purchasing the home he/she has been renting from the former owner. The A’s would be free to do as they please with The Coliseum complex, including selling it off or leasing it out to another party and skipping town.
Another possibility is that the A’s could use ownership of The Coliseum complex as a bargaining chip in negotiations to try to get tax dollars to assist with the cost of renovating the stadium. With that debt cleared at their expense, the A’s could argue, the city should have capital to invest in a new partnership with the franchise by footing the bill for the upgrades. If that ends up being the case, then the A’s would have gotten a bargain. It’s likely that renovating The Coliseum would cost much more than the $135 million the A’s are offering to write a check for.
Oakland fans may be horrified at the potential loss of their MLB franchise right after the Raiders announced their exit. Those fans need to remember what the Raiders already reminded them of. Professional sport franchises are privately-owned and not public trusts, along with for-profit businesses, not charities. Their primary motivation will always be robust and sustainable profitability. No matter how much they might be #RootedInOakland, even the deepest roots can be taken up in the right circumstances. This could be the beginning of that process.