The baseball team still needs a half billion dollars in taxpayers’ help to move to Las Vegas.
Isn’t it time that Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics franchise owner John Fisher talks about his potential move from Oakland to Las Vegas instead of hiding behind his team president Dave Kaval and Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred? After all, Fisher is a billionaire who inherited the clothing store the Gap. So, you would think he would be comfortable speaking about his businesses. Apparently, he is not. Kaval has been doing the speaking and Manfred has been issuing threats to Oakland politicians for years that the team would leave the east bay if Oakland and Alameda County politicians did not come up with money to make Fisher’s dream come true. A new stadium on the Oakland waterfront. Manfred’s job is to lobby for his owners and carry out his owners’ wishes and, in this case, to lobby for a new stadium for Fisher. But Manfred may have said the inane thing about not getting his owners money for a venue since National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern ranted against New Jersey politicians when he and the New Jersey Nets franchise owners could not get an arena built in Newark, New Jersey in 2005 saying, “New Jersey blew it”.
Manfred went on a rant against Oakland politicians. “I feel sorry for the fans in Oakland. I really do. But for the city of Oakland to point fingers at John Fisher, it’s not fair. Unfortunately, the government doesn’t seem to have the will to get it done.” Then Manfred unloaded on Oakland baseball fans. “Their attendance has never been outstanding, let’s put it that way.” Manfred is paid by the owners and his stewardship of the game includes getting rid of 42 minor league teams. Manfred is praising Las Vegas now but what happens if Nevada cannot come up with a half billion dollars needed to seal the deal?
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