• Loading stock data...
Monday, February 10, 2025

MLB Commish Doubtful Oakland Will Keep A’s

  • Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is pessimistic that the A’s will stay in Oakland.
  • He feels more confident that the Rays will stay in Tampa.
Rob-Manfred-MLB
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Major League Baseball’s commissioner doesn’t believe Oakland will keep its team.

“I think the mayor in Oakland has made a huge effort to try to get it done in Oakland,” MLB chief Rob Manfred said. “It just doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.”

  • He added that the team “can’t continue to play in the facility they’re in,” and “given the lack of pace in Oakland, the lack of certainty, they have to be looking at Las Vegas.”
  • Manfred said that should the A’s move, it would happen within a few years, adding “we can’t go five more years in the Coliseum.”
  • The A’s lease at RingCentral Coliseum runs through 2024.

Manfred confirmed that the league would waive its relocation fee if the team moved, noting that a new stadium in Vegas would likely require a roughly $500 million retractable roof. 

Outgoing Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf said she spoke with Manfred on Saturday and remains “absolutely confident our deal in Oakland will get done next year even with new leadership in place.”

Hope for Tampa

Manfred was more optimistic about the Tampa Bay Rays staying put, calling Tampa “a viable major league market.”

“I’ve got a lot of faith in [Rays’ owner] Stu Sternberg. I think they will find a place to get a ballpark built. I think baseball can thrive in Tampa.”

Manfred has said that MLB will look to add two teams once the Rays’ and A’s ballpark situations are resolved.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Brady and Mahomes

Chiefs Fatigue Is Real. It’s Nowhere Near Patriots Hate Yet

People who have covered both teams say the difference is stark.
Nov 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley (26) after the Eagles defeat the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium.

How the Eagles Reinvented Championship Roster Construction

Philadelphia is one of the most innovative franchises in the NFL.

Super Bowl Ticket Prices Still Dropping As Lodging Costs Soar

Prices have fallen by another 20% since Monday amid a local lodging crunch.

ESPN Faces Potential Exit from MLB Media Rights As Opt-Out Looms

A 35-year rights relationship now faces a very different media landscape.

Featured Today

‘Ultimate Throwback’: The Unimpeachable Cool of Hartford Whalers Gear

Nostalgia and street cred have driven a consistent frenzy for merch.
January 20, 2024; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Kristin Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44), before a 2024 NFC divisional round game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium.
February 1, 2025

The New WAGs: Sports Wives Building Business Empires

Athletes’ wives and girlfriends are bucking stereotypes and cashing in.
Feb 3, 2019; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears mascot dances on the court during a stoppage in play in the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Haas Pavilion.
January 31, 2025

The Toll of Bicoastal Travel on New ACC Members Cal and Stanford

Cal and Stanford face missed flights, chaotic sleep schedules, and academic demands.
January 28, 2025

It’s Starting to Pay to Be Good at Cornhole

American Cornhole League players made $7.7 million in 2024.
Dec 1, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters (L) talks with Commanders owner Josh Harris (R) on the field prior to the game against the Tennessee Titans at Northwest Stadium.

CEO Leaves $13 Billion Soup Company to Run Commanders

The new president will lead the planning and development of the team’s stadium.
November 15, 2024

Adam Silver Defends NBA Product Amid Sluggish Ratings

Silver said the NBA compares itself to “the biggest brands in the world.”
LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan after the final round of golf during the CME Group Tour Championship at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla., Sunday, November 19, 2023.
December 2, 2024

LPGA Commissioner Leaving After Brief Up-and-Down Tenure

Mollie Marcoux Samaan was hired in 2021.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
November 11, 2024

Endeavor to Sell OpenBet, IMG Arena to Its CEO Ari Emanuel

The move is “a necessary step” as Endeavor seeks to go private.
May 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves minority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez look on in the second half against the Dallas Mavericks during game one of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Target Center.
October 23, 2024

A-Rod, Lore Deposit $940M As Wolves Ownership Hearing Nears

Rodriguez and Lore made a large escrow deposit in advance of a key upcoming arbitration hearing.
October 22, 2024

Dude Perfect CEO’s Task: Make the Dudes a Media Company

Dude Perfect’s new CEO wants fans to be able to experience the brand in person.
Feb 13, 2023; Beverly Hills, CA, USA; Disney CEO Bob Iger arrives at the 95th Oscars nominees luncheon at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023.
October 21, 2024

Bob Iger’s Successor Won’t Be Named Until 2026

Iger’s current contract expires at the end of 2026.