Additionally, MLB’s protected monopoly status is immaterial to the A’s situation. The monopoly concerns interstate commerce, and the disputed territory is solely in the state of California. So if you are going to call bullshit on my comment, try to not be wrong about every claim you make.

So, another discussion in which stating a verifiable fact earns more than 6x thumbs down than thumbs up. Emotional topic, clearly. I’m sorry for the A’s fans that it has come to this, even though I don’t believe the Giants are either at fault or obliged to pay the price of improving the A’s lot.

Nobody bought shares of the Giants because they thought the A’s wouldn’t move to SJ. They bought their shares believing a new park would get built in SAN FRANCISCO.

Absolutely, but on the assumption of crucial ongoing support coming out of the South Bay. Don’t take my word for it. Take the invesstors’.

The population of Santa Clara County alone represents 43% of our territory. Upon purchasing the team 20 years ago, our plan to revive the franchise relied heavily on targeting and solidifying our fan base in the largest and fastest growing county within our territory.

Now of course you may believe that they’re just throwing up a smokescreen, but I would argue that their actions actually back their claim here.

You got it!

They bought their shares believing a new park would get built in SAN FRANCISCO.

Norm, you would do well to learn more about how that ballpark actually got built. The San Jose connection was crucial.

What’s really going on is that the Giants would love to force the A’s out of the Bay Area and see these “rights” as their lever to do it, pure and simple.</blockquote.

I find it odd that folks who praise Walter Haas on the one hand for his civic-minded selflessness are able on the other hand to ascribe the most venal motives to anyone who does not yield to the force of their own interests. Indeed, I can't think of a worse way to honor Walter Haas than to cater to Lew Wolff.

I simply can’t believe the Giants are fretting this much over a team moving quite a bit farther away.

Not too up on the leagalease, but as a diehard Giants fan, my take is that SJ is in no financial position to be partially funding a pro stadium, and of course the A’s can suck it.

I keep wondering if the City of San Jose would consider legal action? Of course they are in a dire financial situation like most cities these days.

This always seems to come back to the mysteriously granted antitrust exemption that Bud will fight to the death to maintain.

As for jkcalhoun’s remarks, worries that the Giants would move arose long before it came to a head when Lurie threatened to sell. That was precisely WHY the owners asked Haas
to grant territorial rights. The argument Giants partisans trot out to the effect that these rights were somehow crucial to investors is nonesense. Nobody bought shares of the Giants because they thought the A’s wouldn’t move to SJ. They bought their shares believing a new park would get built in SAN FRANCISCO. An A’s park in SJ would be further away from AT&T Park than the Coliseum. What’s really going on is that the Giants
would love to force the A’s out of the Bay Area and see these “rights” as their lever to do it,
pure and simple.

Anyway, the yuppies over at Yoshi’s won’t even notice that they’re gone.

No one owns SJ, and corporations can build where ever they like regardless of the proximity to competitors.

If Wolff built a park and moved to SJ there is no way MLBs definition of “territorial rights” would hold up in court….and MLB likely wouldn’t want to delve into anything that would jeopardize their exempt monopoly status, which they would surely lose if it was ever challenged.