Oakland Loses The A’s (And Pro Sports) With Logan Murdock | The Bill Simmons Podcast

[@drewbreezy5854]

That is something that is rarely discussed by sports pundits and maybe it should be: how are these sports leagues paying players 10 million dollars a season still eligible to tap into the same public funds used to feed families earning 35k a year? How do we stop that from occurring?

[@walkerking3875]

If you paid $10 million in taxes, you would demand the public services you saw fit too

[@wolfcastle462]

Except if you have that kind of money public services are keeping the rest of humanity from taking your vast wealth.

[@jtrix34]

Great point. I think it feeds into the larger issue have how politicians and government officials actually use our tax dollars. Thats why it is important to understand and be engaged in your LOCAL politics. Fuck who the president is going to be. Who is person representing your district? Who is in charge of your school district? Who is your city controller? They make politcs appear to be cartoonish so don't engage. Don't let them win

[@cesarmeza5331]

Leave it for a Vote, most of not all measures to fund private stadiums have failed across the Board.

[@Jake-jo4fw]

This is talked about all the time

[@ccr35582]

Can’t wait for July baseball in Vegas when it’s 116°

[@j.s3300]

Texas Rangers before their new stadium

[@mikelfrance-l6x]

Completely agree. Baseball will never survive in Phoenix. Its too hot. Oh wait...

[@ccr35582]

@@mikelfrance-l6x if only the Diamondbacks field had a retractable roof… oh wait it does! The As planned arena does not. Dum dum

[@peterrafanan3102]

you'll see it next season in Sac.

[@mikelfrance-l6x]

@@ccr35582 Excuse me. The Vegas stadium is 100% domed -- not even retractable because its a waste as Phx found out the hard way. Google is your friend -- dum dum.

[@Harakanis]

As a European whenever i hear about an american sports team changing city it just boggles my mind Like: how is that even possible? The city is IN THE NAME Won't you just lose all the old fans and gain 0 new ones? How can the people ever support that?

[@j.s3300]

You watch F1?

[@soysaucehairdye7869]

I think a lot of the OG fans of the team usually abandon the team. My uncle was a pretty big San Diego Chargers fan with season tickets, but when they moved to LA that was the final straw for him supporting them. It's pretty cool how in Spain there are five different LaLiga teams based out of Madrid.

[@KevinSebastian]

Ask MK Dons how easy it is to change a name

[@maxsimeck902]

because americans are just cucked by corporatism. They legitimately can't think in a way that isn't corporate.

[@soysaucehairdye7869]

Oakland sports teams died with Eric the Actor in 2014.

[@jamessabatier414]

Rip to redrum 😞

[@toomuchdrivetothrive]

The A's under the Haas family had at top 5 payroll and attendance from 88 to 93. Then they sold the team and Davis ruined Oakland by ruining what was considered one of the nicest stadiums to watch a game.

[@fortynights1513]

Was the stadium ruined by lack of upkeep?

[@patoman9147]

​@@fortynights1513both the addition of mt Davis as well as the team not investing. The city and county gave the owner a very cheap lease agreement, they were supposed to invest in the team, org and ballpark.

[@toomuchdrivetothrive]

@@fortynights1513 Yes, as Fortynights mentioned. It is interesting that Angels and Oakland went in opposite directions. Anaheim stadium was really ugly and multi-purpose and then remodeled to be baseball friendly. The Oakland Coliseum was remodeled to be more football friendly. One got upkeep, the other didn't. It helped having Disneyland next door. They did not want an eye-sore.

[@bobstomper]

They touch on it, but not enough of the blame for this situation is laid at the feet of MLB. Rob Manfred and crew showed that they couldn't give a rat's patooty about the Oakland fans. To me, they are almost on equal footing with Fisher in this debacle.

[@walkerking3875]

buddy, there are no fans in Oakland. Oakland is a third world shthole

[@zackattack635]

Oakland is a wasteland that has been governed into the dirt. California is going to lose more and more franchises as the taxes and quality of life get worse.

[@ronmexico7256]

Manfreds job is to do what’s best for the owners. The only way things would have ended differently is if the majority of the owners wanted it to.

[@ChristopherX30]

Manfred works for the owners. They wanted the sh*tshow to be over with so that the money could start rolling in again (at some point).

[@Weaponator18]

Manfred is not blameless for sure. They waved some fairly significant moving fees in order to enable this move. But the majority of the blame lies at the feet of fisher.

[@marsspacex6065]

Jerry reinsdorf is up there with John fisher.

[@torrey88]

Not defending jerry, but at least he has a championship. Fisher never even tried to win one…

[@GreenGold68]

Jerry Reinsdorf is a joke of a person, that being said he’s one of World Series and he hasn’t relocated the team. Sorry he’s just not in the same category as John Fisher.

[@slimthumbtak]

I would agree. The white sox running into a perfect storm world series does not wash away 40+ years of incompetence. The A’s have been competitive and in the playoffs way more than the sox. They just haven’t been fortunate enough to have that one perfect storm season. And Reinstorf is currently playing the stadium extortion game. He’s absolutely AWFUL

[@lilhyena7534]

weird last names. hmmm

[@joanna4754]

Wow a Hartford whalers reference

[@jackconnolly5339]

Thank you for speaking out on my A’s Bill, well said Logan.

[@vincesmith2499]

I'm still not convinced the A's end up in Vegas. If that falls through, Fisher could be forced to sell to someone who will build a Howard Terminal park. Nevadans do not want to pay for the stadium.

[@jhanneke001]

Appreciate Logan's takes, but I would love to see a more straightforward interview with one of the local journos who covered this story from start to finish and is on all the details, because there is a lot to cover.

[@kw1726]

cleveland is still traumatized from the browns leaving

[@vincesmith2499]

The Browns are in Cleveland.

[@drew4064]

The original Browns aren't, they're now the Baltimore Ravens

[@vincesmith2499]

​​@@drew4064They're recognized as one franchise. The Ravens started in 1996. The fans got their team back, so absolutely no one should still be angry about that.

[@kw1726]

The fans sued to keep the history in Cleveland. Even though the team came back it is still traumatizing. And owners in the city know the public will pay for whatever to not let it happen again. And the Haslams are about to stick the city with a hell of a bill soon for the new stadium plan

[@markgibbons9891]

Oracle had the same feel as the old Boston garden. Loud, a bit uncomfortable, and bit rough. Can be replicated.

[@David-ke5nm]

Politics and the current state of Oakland predictably not mentioned except the obligatory oh because of ‘covid’

[@ben.tanner]

And it's more the response to covid than covid itself that hurt economies

[@jeffreyvalentyn6815]

Politics was mentioned in length, specifically how billionaire Franchise owners siphon money from local governments and saddle taxpayers with generational debt just to relocate and repeat the cycle. Your issue is that they didn’t come up with some bs abt how liberals are turning baseballs transgender.

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

Huh? Moving a team is political inherently. This entire conversation is political. You seem to want it to be maybe a partisan political argument but that would be silly. Or let me guess you want. Blame it on crime. Lol. Which is down nationally overwhelmingly for pretty much all crimes except for shoplifting.

[@cory_23]

Born, raised, and still living in the bay. Don’t let anybody tell you that this is on the A’s fans. This is on John fisher, who never really cared where this team wound up. Bay Area is a huge market too. Shameful.

[@mikelfrance-l6x]

Its BS like this that caused MLB to vote for the A's to leave. The reason why the A's were allowed to leave is the crappy condition of the Coliseum, which was neglected for 30 years by the government that owned it. Fisher is a terrible owner but the only reason why they were allowed to leave was government failure for years.

[@vincesmith2499]

​@@mikelfrance-l6xHe should pay for his own damn stadium.

[@RandomNumber6598]

Oklahoma City is such a unique example because they are funding the city without raising taxes and the populace is very supportive. Most cities do not have a similar lucky happenstance.

[@jonahfalcon1970]

Bad owner? What about Arnold Johnson, who turned the Kansas City Athletics into the Yankees' farm team?

[@juliorodriguez2182]

Nobody talks about this. Thanks for bringing it up I forgot this fact but yea Kansas City a’s would have dominated. Look what they did with the three peat.

[@jonahfalcon1970]

@@juliorodriguez2182 Doubt it. But they wouldn't suck.

[@teejaye6226]

He is not lying. I was stationed in Frisco and getting to Oakland is truly a hassle.

[@chrisroberts7017]

Bart is easy

[@mjwbulich]

I am a Giants fan that lived in the East Bay for many years. It's easy to get to games in SF.

[@Rommie26]

The guy on the right has such a victim mentality

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

Some billionaire moved an entire franchise costing people thousands of jobs because he wants a few more billion dollars. All because he wanted taxpayers of Oakland to cover his stadium. How should he react?

[@davidsasse40]

Oakland had baseball football and basketball. They will never get another major league franchise

[@ckq]

Missouri didn't pass the tax, OKC did. Sorta makes sense cause Jackson County Missouri is poorer than the suburbs who pay no taxes for the Chiefs.

[@theb3654]

I wish the A's could stay but Oakland is such a dump I can't blame any sports team or business for leaving. Anyone saying im wrong I challenge you to walk around Oakland and tell me if you would keep your business there.

[@jairocruz8130]

Its either give billionaires money for a new venue or they threaten to leave

[@SamNewman1984]

every 'blogger' (now called Podcaster) is the same. in fact they dress so 'different' (as in try to have their own personal style) that they have no style at all. all the bloggers/podcasters follow a very specific script on what being 'interesting' looks like. this includes all aesthetics like clothing, language use, and even minor details like twitter profile picture being an obscure pop culture reference. wake up call. your like 40+ years old. we need men. not manboys.

[@Gio-ue8ps]

Why would you be angry at John fisher? Oakland is the armpit of America. It’s the worst city in this country. All of the businesses are leaving Oakland. Raiders & warriors left also.

[@steveniksich5709]

The 70's A's and Raiders were culturally so important. Losing Oakland sports teams should have never happened.

[@yuanjiazhu7940]

We lost oakland long before the teams left. Nothing but crime, drugs, thieves, and welfare scumbags. Cant sustain a grocery store, let alone a pro team. Period.

[@fortynights1513]

From a Mariners fan, if you told people in the early 90’s that there would be a point where the Mariners would still be in Seattle but the A’s wouldn’t be in Oakland then I don’t think anyone would have bought it. But here we are.

[@bertmustin]

The Athletics and Oakland should have built a new ballpark 25 years ago.

[@mainchannel1566]

In Argentina all professional soccer teams must be sports clubs with mass ownership on a one-person, one-vote, system. This needs to be the law for all sports teams if they take public money.

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

The people in the comments that think the owner of Oakland moved because of crime or homelessness are really naive or bad faith actors. This guy doesn't care about any of that. He would move the team to Barrow Alaska or Pyongyang if it meant more money. This is a story about the unceasing greed of the billionaire class.

[@timmanto1022]

Sometimes i think the commish needs to have some executive privledge and have tbe authority to overrule a team if they get 2/3 majority in favour of the decsision and its in the best interest of the league. Where would the San Jose Atheltics be today would they be preparing for relocation as well.

[@andrewzhou3749]

There are Warriors fans in the bottom rows who will now submit complaints about people around them standing up and being too rowdy. SF just doesn't have the same energy as Oakland.

[@Eugene-u8f]

They were the San Francisco Warriors for a decade, then Golden State Warriors. Never the Oakland Warriors. I feel your pain. Sonics fan for life..

[@flinteastwood4020]

Hi John Fisher didn’t own the Coliseum.

[@mikejanacone8328]

The reality is people really want their sports teams because it’s the only thing that semi units now we are divided on religion politics culture sports is really the only true melting pot in society. That’s why it’s so important.

[@2005CEO]

The sports team getting loans from the city is not taking money or a free pass. The city makes money of the interest and still makes out ontop after inflation.

[@rapalbumdepot7648]

The John Fischer Awful Owner Annual Invitational

[@60zeller]

Nine’ers Warriors and the Giants are right there. Boo Hoo Oakland

[@JohnRoman75]

So now that the A’s are gone Oakland schools will be great!

[@areitz1962]

Damn they got David Justice for the pod

[@razkable]

Warriors took more money than the other sports teams in oakland

[@onthesnap4606]

just get the hell away from them- Scott Adams

[@tony16harris]

so racist. lol

[@tomek6132]

I’m at 12 mins and nothing has been said

[@montyhathaway4564]

To all Oakland As fans, coming from a Mariners fan, I am so sorry about your loss. Shit absolutely sucks, and I’m gutted for you. Keep your heads up.

[@805fillmore]

We feel bad OKC stole your SuperSonics. That should’ve never happened.

[@maxsimeck902]

every single sports teams should be publicly owned by the fans.

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

Yes. Green Bay Packers have it right

[@KikeHernandezsMustache]

That’s Mr Potatohead

[@jeffreyvalentyn6815]

17:44 dude spot on. While there is a plan in place for LA Metro to build a people mover from their K line to Sofi and the Intuit dome, neither Balmer or Kroenke have offered a single dime to the project (which solely benefits them and their stadiums that they already used tax payer funds for). Because of that, the project is in limbo as LA Metro is 200 million short from the needed 2 billion.

[@805fillmore]

Lmao they built world class arenas and you’re comparing about ballmer and kroenke?

[@jeffreyvalentyn6815]

@@805fillmore stop glazing the billionaires dude. In my comment I said why I’m complaining: it’s cuz the government FUNDED both of their arenas, not the billionaires. Now I agree that these are sick stadiums, as a matter of fact I want to go to both of them. It’s actually because I want to go that I am complaining abt these stadiums. Driving in LA is horrible, and parking is even worse. So when there’s a public transit option that lets me get to these stadiums im definitely in support of that. But for the owners to once again not contribute anything to it when they already stole from the tax payer, that’s not okay.

[@chrisolivo6591]

I’m a Philadelphia native and the Philadelphia A’s still have more World Series Championships than the Phillies despite moving away in 1954. Lol. The A’s have always had owners that wouldn’t pay the $$$. Connie Mack broke up 2 Dynasties because he couldn’t afford them in the first half of the 20th Century. Charlie Finley let Reggie, Catfish and that whole early 70’s dynasty leave for Free Agency. It’s just a cursed organization yet ranks tied for 3rd in most World Series championships.

[@dreamcage1801]

Politician issues is Oakland karma

[@davidmichael4002]

City of Oakland shares some blame for losing 3 pro teams and turning the city into a criminal buffet, see it take it.

[@rhettwalker4173]

Anyone who doesn’t realize that your pro sports can and will move whenever it best suits them is a dummy.

[@alexandrequillien4068]

Say what you want about soccer, this would be basically impossible to do. Move the team.

[@EricKennedy-q8y]

Oakland got screwed, and not Giants fans never. RIP Oakland Athletics!!

[@TheJalinmyles]

I’d be hurt losing any of my teams but I feel like losing my local MLB team would just be unforgivable

[@jimsimonetti2929]

Still not 100% sure the move to Vegas happens and the A’s end up in salt lake instead. If the Vegas doesn’t really want them, not sure how they can force their way there. Can’t imagine fisher fitting the bill for a stadium without public help either and the mayor told them not to come. They aren’t gonna pay up. Even if it does happen, I just can’t imagine it being as successful as hockey and football either. When the team is bad, you aren’t gonna get a bunch of bro’s to fly out in August for a 3 game set to see the Yankees. It’s too much of a commitment in the worst time of the year there. Also really glad that MSG hasn’t lost any of its vibes as the ticket prices have gotten more expensive.

[@walkerking3875]

when is bill simmons releasing the podcast about diddy's "freak off" parties and how jimmy kimmell is involved

[@cory_23]

A billionaire wanting to make an extra couple bucks to rip away something that brings a community together should be a felony.

[@JP-fd8ss]

Of course this dude makes it about race lmao. Until these communities can take responsibility for their own criminal behavior and policies nothing will ever change. I love how he keeps making it a race thing then the next example is Sofi in Inglewood.

[@maximilienrobes1822]

This clip does anything but tell the truth.

[@ajbianchi85]

Systematic racism is real and is still happening. What does the Again stand for in make America great again? When there was segregation? When women could vote? What?

[@ildaphonse]

This commenter is the worst type of racist for real.

[@markgibbons9891]

There have been many great moments for A's fans. As a bay area baseball fan I disagree about the love for the A's. I've been at an A's game with 8000 people. If you see the Yankees or BoSox there are literally no A's fans in the stadium. There is not the support for the A's that is imagined. I agree the sports teams were Oakland's core identity. Oakland as a city is reeling and this is symbolic of its continue decline.

[@juliorodriguez2182]

As being born and raised in the bay and beginning to love ball during the big three era, you are wrong. Imagine being in the right field seats and having to walk to home plate for concessions to eat. Imagine wanting to to buy a hat and finding out they out of stock and have no idea when it will be available. Before he bought the team coliseum was booming! Go back on those years look at the footage.

[@Michaelasoulin]

Maybe instead of constantly blaming everyone else people in Oakland should look in the mirror and ask themselves why no team wants to be in Oakland, which has become a crime ridden shithole hostile to business owners and regular peace loving people.

[@vincesmith2499]

Nope, wrong. Fisher is leaving because he didn't get enough free money. It has nothing to do with crime. Nice try.

[@jonahfalcon1970]

Huh? You never expected the A's to leave? Dude, they were the PHILADELPHIA A's and then the KANSAS CITY A's. Vegas will be their FOURTH city to play in. It's roughly 30 years per city!

[@jonahfalcon1970]

I'm sorry, but the Golden State Warriors are a SF team like the Giants and Jets are NJ teams.

[@TheFreelanceTeacher]

The A's should move back to Philadelphia - come full circle. That would be great.

[@vincesmith2499]

Ridiculous idea. Philadelphia has the Phillies. It can't support two teams.

[@TheFreelanceTeacher]

@@vincesmith2499 The White Sox should move to Philadelphia as well. They can rebuild and be the Philadelphia Liberty Bell Sox.

[@Joeschmoe8930]

The A’s don’t have a nomadic history? That is their history. They were in 2 other cities before Oakland. The A’s spent 53 years in Philadelphia, 12 in KC and 56 years in Oakland.

[@christianbraun8290]

………………….

[@christianbraun8290]

Bro, typed out 56 years and thought that was a short time

[@richardmaska1818]

Are you fr rn?

[@jtaco4101]

​@@richardmaska1818he's right tho

[@alifrombenhill3374]

Context clues bruh. He is talking about since they been in Oakland. The Raiders were nomadic after already being in Oakland

[@Noah-ww5kx]

Get woke go broke

[@rgreenberg35]

Hey look a loser who obsesses about politics and "woke" 24/7

[@kevinc8955]

Seems the opposite is true. Twitter is dying and you could buy truth social for the price of a carton of Newports.

[@reemak8500]

@@kevinc8955 Twitter is flourishing! So is freedom of speech.

[@vincesmith2499]

Wokeness has nothing to do with this. A billionaire wants free money; that's all. Next?

[@Noah-ww5kx]

@@vincesmith2499 get woke go broke

[@michaelmeehan9553]

Everyone should expect the A's to leave. That's what they do. Philadelphia had them for 54 years and won 5 World Series. They played in one of the most iconic ballparks ever. The Kansas City had them for 13 seasons. They've been in Oakland for 57 seasons. Now it's Sacramento for three years and then Vegas for however long that lasts. Maybe they go to Mexico or Japan next. The A's are gonna wander. BTW, the Vegas stadium will be fully enclosed.

[@jonahfalcon1970]

Oh, right, 5 cities not 4. That means an average of 25 years per city. Shibe Park...

[@marsspacex6065]

Oakland ruined itself after the people running it decided not to enforce laws. That’s why business is leaving Oakland. Without a ordered society economic activity is depressed. This happens everywhere in the world where there is chaos.

[@reuben4683]

Exactly. Where’s the accountability? Smh

[@yuanjiazhu7940]

Yuuuuuup. Oakland cant sustain a grocery store, let alone a pro team. It aint the owner, its the leftwing politics and crime. Bye bye. The 3rd world city doesnt deserve it.

[@dreamcage1801]

Oakland is just straight up broke and now bankrupt

[@grahamn4687]

So nice to see three morons find each other in a KZbin comment section

[@pizzaiowa3816]

Nope, if you listened to this podcast or knew anything about the A’s you would know that the Warriors owner said he would write a check for the Athletics tomorrow. Also the Warriors moved to San Francisco a place I’m sure you think the same of. This is not a city problem, it’s a terrible, greedy, big ego owner problem.

[@ryanrandolph2224]

😬😬 Oakland citizens voted for 3 women mayor's and each one lost a sports team. You get what you vote for. Oakland knew it would take Public money...billionaire or not.. to save their sports teams amd get them new facilities. Life ain't fair but Oakland fans are not the victim

[@vincesmith2499]

There should be zero public money for stadiums.

[@ryanrandolph2224]

@@vincesmith2499 😬😬 Oakland citizens voted for 3 women mayor's and each one lost a sports team. You get what you vote for. Oakland knew it would take Public money...billionaire or not.. to save their sports teams amd get them new facilities. Life ain't fair but Oakland fans are not the victims

[@ryanrandolph2224]

@@vincesmith2499 public money will be needed and if u have that attitude kiss your teams goodbye. All u do is hurt those that work and Fandom there

[@mikelfrance-l6x]

Excuse me. Its a domed stadium in Vegas. Vegas is giving a loan of $350M paid back over 30 years. Fisher is supplying $1.1B FIRST. Ballys is throwing in $650M in land for FREE. Oakland wouldn't do that to fix their own streets and infrastructure around Howard Terminal that was needed to build ANYTHING on that land. Its amazing you guys don't understand the basics.

[@patoman9147]

We had the ~400m infrastructure financing landed in Oakland.

[@mikelfrance-l6x]

@@patoman9147 EXCUSE ME. Mayor Thao told Casey Pratt they were $300M SHORT to complete what they needed to do. The deal fell through on that.

[@patoman9147]

@@mikelfrance-l6x at the end there was basically a difference of 36m post COVID and other factors. Maybe check again?

[@vincesmith2499]

Wrong. It's not a loan. The A's don't have to pay one cent back to NV. Try again.

[@mikelfrance-l6x]

@@vincesmith2499 WRONG. Its paid back over 30 years. Its not "free money" like Oakland got in grants from the US taxpayer and State of CA -- who have to pay NONE of it back. The $380 million in public funding would mainly come from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Backers have pledged that the creation of a special tax district around the proposed stadium - that would be the smallest in Major League Baseball - would generate enough money to pay off those bonds and interest. The plan would not directly raise taxes.

[@christianbraun8290]

Oracle was a shit hole. But I’m used to MSG

[@j.s3300]

Loud though

[@natethegreat3602]

I'm glad they left good for the owner. Look if you're rich you might not be able to float 2 billion on a new stadium and California isn't going to give you a loan or help out with any money so you have no choice additionally Oakland is a dump hole that's plagued with homelessness crime and drugs and no revenue around that area to help improve the city. A baseball team isn't going to fix the problem it's called having a good mayor city council and governor which they will never have. Good on the owner to move to Vegas he will build a winner there or at least have fans that actually show up and not just for a place to sleep like the bums or drug addicts in Oakland

[@nickj230]

Lol absolutely braindead take

[@vincesmith2499]

No. NOT good on a billionaire owner wanting taxpayers to fund his stadium. WRONG.

[@george-k2c]

enough wnba. youre only doing it to show how inclusive you are. rah rah role expectation

[@rapalbumdepot7648]

In 1990 the Athletics and Royals had the highest payrolls in MLB. The Yankees and Braves and Colts and Patriots ALL finished in last place. ⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️