Bay Area Sports Centre

[svs]

Originally Posted by JoshuaSantos

I didn't think of this at all... it's pretty safe to say that SF won't be in the name of the team. Especially considering the SF Giants exist. I also think we've established that Bay Area is too generic.

So I guess the real question is San Jose or Silicon Valley?

You could call them the "South Bay Athletics" but of course California has two "South Bays" (the other being the Manhattan/Hermosa/ and Redondo Beach areas near LA). How about the "North South Bay Athletics" so everything is perfectly clear! LOL

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by svs

You could call them the "South Bay Athletics" but of course California has two "South Bays" (the other being the Manhattan/Hermosa/ and Redondo Beach areas near LA). How about the "North South Bay Athletics" so everything is perfectly clear! LOL

Yeah, whatever! It's North South Bay Athletics at Fremont, jerk!

[edsg25]

I'm still sticking to the notion there is nothing generic about the term "Bay Area". In the US, the Bay Area is the San Francisco Bay Area. It is the only one that can suggest what it means without a descriptor.

In the US, if you told someone they were traveling from the Tampa Bay Area to the Bay Area...that would,no doubt, suggest a trip from Tampa to San Francisco. Or Oakland. Or San Jose.

That's why I honestly believe that it would be the most maximizing term for the A's after the move. It excludes nobody. It's a readily identified name. It offers inclusion to fans in Marin, the northern portions of the peninsula and....shocker of all shockers....even San Francisco. It respects both the present Oakland/East Bay setting and the new South Bay setting, as well.

And besides, it would be kinda fun to call the team the B'A's

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by edsg25

In the US, if you told someone they were traveling from the Tampa Bay Area to the Bay Area...that would,no doubt, suggest a trip from Tampa to San Francisco. Or Oakland. Or San Jose.

See, that's a perfect example of you thinking such because you're familiar with the area. Flying from the Tampa Bay Area could also mean a flight out of St Petersburg. It works the other way, too. People around the country don't know San Jose. They barely know where Oakland is. You'd have to specify "San Francisco Bay Area."

[LApride]

GIANTS SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sure you're all aware

[worldwide]

bay area really does mean sf area to everyone

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by worldwide

bay area really does mean sf area to everyone

Who said people are smart?

[Pavlov's Dog]

I think a suitable location for a 49ers stadium would be the huge vacant lot accross the 101 from SFO. It has excellent freeway access (providing a new on/off ramp would be built) and lies next to both BART and Cal-train. The parking for the stadium could also generate income by being used as a park-and-ride as well as airport parking.

[arturo]

Originally Posted by dewback

I seriously doubt the Santa Clara plan will ever become a reality, and if it does it will have to endure long delays and many modifications. The current plan is dependent on public money, which eventually will force Santa Clara to the ballot box. I know the team wants to exploit the cash reserves of the water commission, but it wouldn't surprise me if a NIMBY group shots down the plan if this involve even the potential increase of water prices in the future.

Also, the land they want to use is partly owned by the city of San Francisco. The Hetchy-Hetch system runs under, so San Francisco will have leverage on how the development has to occur. Besides, the Hetch-Hetchy system will have to be renovated after 2009, which would delay the construction of the stadium.

Yet, I am glad the city is trying to do something with Candlestick and Hunters Point. The development should not be subjected to the wishes of a team.

The fact remains that SF does not have a viable alternative proposal. The Bay Area is also unique in having three Alpha cities, and most residents are just has proud of saying "I'm from the Bay Area" as they are saying "I'm from Sunnyvale/San Francisco/Vallejo." The Rams case was different because Anaheim DOES NOT consider itself part of greater LA. [We can have an entire sociological discussion as to why this occurs there but not here]

With over 70% of season ticket holders not from SF proper, it leads me to believe most are from either San Mateo or Santa Clara Counties (I'm assuming Contra Costa/Alameda residents are more likely to be Raiders ticket holders; Marin's small population makes it negligeable). So in effect, the team will in fact be closer to its fan base. SF is what it is, but the Bay is more than just SF and I dont think we have the regionalism that the LA area has. Most of us here don't seem to care where they go so long as they stay in the Bay.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by arturo

I dont think we have the regionalism that the LA area has

Other than Orange County vs Los Angeles County, we have it way worse.

[StormShadow]

MLB asks San Jose to wait on A's ballot measure



(07-27) 20:46 PDT San Jose, Calif. (AP) --

Major League Baseball is asking San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed to hold off on putting a measure on the ballot for an Oakland Athletics ballpark.

Reed said he spoke with MLB President Bob DuPuy on Tuesday about the proposed measure.

Last week, the mayor said he would ask the City Council to approve a ballot measure even though the MLB has yet to decide whether the team can move. Baseball commissioner Bud Selig had said he was "disappointed" with Reed's action.

The A's need approval before they can move to San Jose because the San Francisco Giants hold territorial rights to the area. Voters also have to approve a stadium.

Reed, who said he would consider the request, also said the league committed to help pay for a special election if one is required.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...#ixzz0uwlUGrpo

[desertpunk]

source

Planning commission meeting first step in A's ballpark plan

Oakland Tribune
Posted: 12/01/2010 12:00:00 AM PST
Updated: 12/01/2010 07:30:26 AM PST

OAKLAND -- Baseball season may have ended, but the challenge to keep the A's in Oakland has just begun. And opening night is today, when the Oakland Planning Commission meets to discuss a proposal for a 39,000-seat ballpark.

The meeting promises to be a lively one even though no decisions will be made on the proposal to build the Victory Court Ballpark, as well as retail and housing, within sight of Jack London Square. The public instead will be able to weigh in on what should be included in a study of the environmental impact that the construction and operation of the proposed development could have on the area.

Concerns may include several fuel lines that run nearby. Federal regulators have levied a $3.5 million fine on one of the operators -- Kinder Morgan Energy Partners -- after several incidents, including a 2005 spill into the Oakland Estuary. The Houston-based energy giant pipes jet fuel underground past the estuary to Oakland International Airport.

Other potential issues include the impact on neighbors and nearby businesses -- air quality, noise and especially traffic.

The plan calls for 2,500 off-street parking spaces including what is now the Laney College parking lot owned by the Peralta Community College District.

Gary Knecht from the Jack London District Association, which represents businesses around the historic square, is worried that tens of thousands of fans arriving at the same time will cause gridlock on Interstate 880 and city streets.

Once a year for the Fourth of July fireworks is one thing, he said. "Everyone wants to see the A's stay in Oakland," he said, "But (81) home games is a little different."

The association also wants the city to include in the environmental impact report a proposal to build a ballpark above I-980 between 14th and 18th streets.

Incoming Mayor Jean Quan has thrown her support behind the Victory Court site, which would sit between Fourth Street and the Embarcadero. The ballpark, Quan and other supporters say, fits into the overall redevelopment of the area which includes the Oak to 9th waterfront development and Jack London Square. The ballpark could give both a boost, prompting support from their developers.

But the city will still have to account for the 16 businesses that would have to make way for the ballpark. The land is occupied by a three-unit live-work building and facilities belonging to BART, the Peralta Community College District and the Oakland Fire Department.

City staff expects a draft of the environmental impact report to be complete by the spring of 2011. Meanwhile, many questions remain unanswered. Foremost is whether Major League Baseball will allow the A's to move to San Jose, where the San Francisco Giants have territorial rights. A's co-owner Lew Wolff has long expressed a desire to move to San Jose. He and majority owner John Fisher could still opt to sell the team if MLB stands in the way. Or they could move the team elsewhere

[krudmonk]

also posted in the US soccer stadium thread...

[Animo]

By Bay Area Sports Guy - Contributor

What's colder lately? The air temperature or the bats guys like Aubrey Huff, Miguel Tejada, Mark Ellis and Hideki Matsui are bringing up to the plate?

Follow @sbnbayarea on Twitter, and Like SB Nation Bay Area on Facebook.

May 18, 2011 - Editor's Note: This post was written up shortly before the A's exploded for 14 runs against the Angels. The writer is a Giants fan, the editor is an A's fan. We'll just leave it at that.

I don't want to hear it from all you people in other parts of the country who have to deal with so-called "real" weather. The weather here is brutal right now. It's May. I should be squinting because the sun's out, not because rain is blowing into my eyes, even when I carry an umbrella. My wedding ring shouldn't be sliding off my finger because it's so cold all the blood's left my hands. I wore a beanie today to work. Nobody's supposed to do that in San Francisco this time of year besides Tim Lincecum. No, we don't have to deal with hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards or consistent humidity, but we also pay more for to rent one-bedroom apartments than people in other areas of the country pay for 3,500 sq. ft. houses on an acre and a half. We're paying for the right to not walk around in 48-degree weather with 20 mph winds. Especially in the middle of May, the time when a boys thoughts turn to baseball players rounding third, heading for home...

Hell, we don't even get to see that this year. The Minnesota Twins only have two good offensive players and they're both broken, so forget about them. If it weren't for the Twinks, this weekend's matchup between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics would be a fierce crossbay battle for the title of WORLDS ... WORST ... OFFENSE!

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! And almost every day in between! Get ready for double plays! One-pitch at-bats! And COMEBACKERS, COMEBACKERS, COMEBACKERS!!!!! ... Giants! A'S! We'll sell you the whole seat, but you'll only need the EDGE!!!!

It's a show fit for weather like we've been having. All this great pitching without any hitting is too much suffering for one to bear -- and it's almost ruining my Napa County Viognier.

Lucky Lacob?

- In an attempt to change the Warriors' recent luck in the NBA Draft Lottery, Joe Lacob went to Secaucus, NJ and tried to move up from the No. 11 spot by sitting on a chair and smiling into a television camera. The Warriors ended Tuesday night with the No. 11 spot in the draft.

- A lot of Warriors fans have already called for the team to try to draft Bismack Biyombo, an 18-year-old physical freak. No, that's not hyperbole, the Biyombo's wingspan is 7-7, even though he stands just short of 6-8. He's 245 lbs, with 4.8% body fat. Upside alert! Sounds like a guy who's stock is going to soar far too high for the Warriors to have a chance.

- For the record, I hope the Warriors get a swingman like Kawhi Leonard or Alec Burks, since any center available at No. 11 would probably be available for a reason (like calling Andris Biedrins' game and work ethic "inspiring" during the pre-draft interview process). Leonard isn't exactly an offensive genius, but the Warriors could use a little extra toughness and he would certainly provide it.

- Then Hoopshype goes and mocks the Warriors drafting Jimmer. Somebody at Hoopshype has a good sense of humor.

- The Sharks won a thrilling Game 7 against the Red Wings, after Jeremy Roenick gave his own version of "tough love" to the leading playoff scorer in Sharks franchise history, Patrick Marleau. Oh, but Roenick's a huge fan of the Sharks, so it's okay. When Roenick cried on TV after the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup last year, it wasn't because he felt a kinship with the team he played for during the first eight years of his career, it was because he still felt bad for the Sharks, a team he played with ... for two years.

- I'd love to figure out how 95.7 FM sounds, but I can't hear it in my apartment. My apartment that's right in the middle of downtown San Francisco. Tough to get a huge following when your signal's only slightly stronger than the FM feeds they use at drive-in movie theaters.

- Jim Harbaugh's biggest recruit since leaving Stanford: Alex Smith.

- Awesome when you spend all evening (and half a column) snarking it up over the local baseball teams' lack of offense and the A's go and win 14-0 over the Angels while you're finishing the rest of the post. In a related story, the A's reached first place in their division on Tuesday, the same day the Giants relinquished the top spot in the NL West to the Colorado Rockies.

- Just watched HBO Real Sports' latest, led off with a feature on chewing tobacco in Major League Baseball. Interesting that they snooped around the Giants' clubhouse looking for cans of dip, and pointed out the can in Tim Lincecum's locker. The quotes they got from players' union rep Mark DeRosa made him look kind of like a tool, as well. This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain rival premium cable channel broadcasting what some would argue is a near-reverential reality series featuring the very same San Francisco Giants. Naahhhhhh.... Next you're going to tell me Sports Illustrated was biased against Barry Bonds after Bonds blew off Rick Reilly.

[jlee]

http://www.knbr.com/portals/3/podcas...518tedford.mp3

Jeff Tedford talking about my Golden Bears on KNBR.

Go Bears!

[Animo]

New Earthquakes Stadium is the working name of a planned soccer specific stadium that will be built in San Jose, California, for Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes. The stadium will be built on what is currently called the Airport West site that is located to the west of San Jose International Airport. The stadium will hold approximately 15,000 fans, expandable to 18,000, and estimated to cost between $40 million and $60 million. The stadium will be part of a mixed use residential, retail, R&D and hotel development. The stadium is planned to be constructed privately with no public money provided by the city of San Jose. Additionally Lewis Wolff, owner of the San Jose Earthquakes, has offered to pay for the maintenance of the stadium for a fifty-five-year timespan.

[Animo]

The San Jose City Council approved rezoning property near Mineta San Jose International Airport to allow a soccer stadium to be built for the San Jose Earthquakes.

The council voted 10-0 Tuesday in favor of the proposal, which involves 95 acres on Coleman Avenue.

The stadium is expected to have about 18,000 seats.


Read more: San Jose soccer stadium rezoning approved | Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal

[krudmonk]

As of now, the site is mostly or totally demolished. Fans who've driven by say "totally" but I think that's in reference to the buildings which were there, not the concrete on the ground.

[ElDudarinodotcom]

I wonder how long it will be before we get an updated render? I don't see any suites or press boxes which will undoubtedly be included in the final design.

[JoshuaSantos]

There is also a fly-in video over here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsC79Uti-MM