MLB Faces Sticky Situation With New A's Stadium in San Jose
By Ty Duffy
The A’s have already prepped for the deal, extending Billy Beane through 2019 and loading up the farm system to make a run in a few years. Though, approval will be sticky. South Bay is considered San Francisco turf. The Giants don’t want a rival down there, as they get much of their patronage and sponsorship from Silicon Valley. MLB could override the deal with 3/4 of the vote, though the deal, setting a nasty override precedent, would likely get shot down.
Rather than subject the A’s to permanent castration or death, you may see MLB broker a compromise similar to the pacifier Orioles Owner’ Peter Angelos received to let the Nationals move to D.C. The deal forced the Nats to sell their TV rights to MASN. Balitmore began with a 90 percent ownership of the network, ceding one percent per year to Washington until their stake hits 33 percent. The Nationals presently own 13 percent of their network.
The Giants may not be as heartless as Angelos, though perhaps some arrangement where the A’s making money directly benefits the Giants might help resolve the impasse.
[Photo via Getty]