Manfred Wary of A’s Vegas Situation but Looks Toward MLB Vote
Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said this weekend he’s wary of a possible public vote in Nevada that might hinder the imminent move of the A’s from Oakland to Las Vegas.
“If there was an adverse development with respect to that referendum, that would be a significant development,” Manfred told writers before the first game of the World Series. “That’s all I can say about that.”
More from Sportico.com
Manfred said a vote by the owners on the relocation could come during the next meetings of the 30 club leaders Nov. 14-16 in Arlington, Texas. The A’s would need 75% of the owners to approve the mover.
On June 15, both houses of the Nevada state legislature passed a bill appropriating $380 million toward a $1.5 billion, 30,000-seat ballpark for the A’s on the Las Vegas strip.
Subsequently, the A’s filed an application for relocation with MLB. Meanwhile, the Nevada State Education Association established a political action committee to collect 102,000 signatures to put a measure on the ballot for a 2024 public vote in Nevada’s four congressional districts. The teachers contend that any public money allotted should go to the school system rather than a ballpark.
A successful referendum could scuttle the public money already apportioned for the ballpark and would likely delay an A’s move for the immediate future. The club’s talks with the City of Oakland about a Howard Terminal stadium and real estate project just west of downtown have been on hold, but Oakland city officials have said they’re open to restarting negotiations.
In any event, the A’s have a lease to play in the decaying Oakland Coliseum through the 2024 season.
Manfred said MLB’s relocation committee met three times last week about the A’s stadium situation, which has been pending for decades.
“Once they have a pretty good sense of where they’re headed, I have to consult with the executive council,” he said. “And then after that consultation, I prepare a recommendation to the clubs and go back to the executive council for an actual vote on the recommendation I made. That would be followed by a vote of the 30 clubs.”
Regarding another significant topic, Manfred said he’s open to having some discussions with the MLB Players Association about tweaking the current playoff system.
During the first two years of the new 12-team format, a number of 100-win first place teams have been given a five-day bye in the first round only to be eliminated later on. This postseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles all won 100 or more games and were eliminated in the Division Series.
Manfred said that conversation would take place this offseason. “Enough has been written and said that we have to think about it and talk about it,” he said, “but my own view is the format served us pretty well.”
Best of Sportico.com
