The San Jose Oakland Athletics of Fremont
MooseDog
Posts: 1,946 ✭✭✭
Well it was going to happen eventually, first the Raiders come back and destroy what was a nice old school ballpark and now after failing to get any support for a downtown Oakland ballpark (which was the RIGHT thing to do):
Oakland A's Moving to the 'Burbs
Although I now live in the 'burbs myself, I grew up in Oakland and spent much of my childhood at the Oakland Coliseum. Despite the fact that the team will be moving closer to where I now live I think this is a really bad move. It won't be any easier for me to get to games and the potential for traffic related problems is huge. The current owner has been trying to make a deal to move the team to San Jose but the Giants "own" the rights to SJ and won't let the A's move there. Fremont is about as close as you can get without infringing on the Giants territory.
- The proposed ballpark will be right off of one of the most congested stretches of freeway in the Silicon Valley. There is gridlock much of the day and at rush hours (which in SV is 4-7pm) the traffic is at a near standstill. Imagine adding 30,000 more people trying to get to a baseball game midweek and you've got disastrous traffic issues (remember in CA we are only allowed 1 person per car ).
It will be so bad that people will not even think about going to mid week games.
- It's located near a MAJOR landfill. On hot summer nights the smell of rotting garbage will overwhelm the smell of hot dogs and beer.
- There will be NO public transportation available to the park save for busses, which will be travelling the same traffic choked roads. Currently what passes for rapid transit in the Bay Area (BART) has a stop right outside the Oakland Coliseum and is used by most fans coming to games from the 'burbs. BART goes to Fremont but then there would have to be shuttle busses on the already crowded streets feeding the highway.
- Cisco is touting a host of high-tech features at the new park, including some laughable ones such as this:
<< <i> There also was a brief demonstration showing how fans order a "fan-cam" photo of themselves from the stadium video screen for $150. >>
I'm sure the deal means zillions of dollars for Mr Wolff and as owner he's entitled to do whatever he wants but as a former Oakland resident I fell sad for the city.
Oakland A's Moving to the 'Burbs
Although I now live in the 'burbs myself, I grew up in Oakland and spent much of my childhood at the Oakland Coliseum. Despite the fact that the team will be moving closer to where I now live I think this is a really bad move. It won't be any easier for me to get to games and the potential for traffic related problems is huge. The current owner has been trying to make a deal to move the team to San Jose but the Giants "own" the rights to SJ and won't let the A's move there. Fremont is about as close as you can get without infringing on the Giants territory.
- The proposed ballpark will be right off of one of the most congested stretches of freeway in the Silicon Valley. There is gridlock much of the day and at rush hours (which in SV is 4-7pm) the traffic is at a near standstill. Imagine adding 30,000 more people trying to get to a baseball game midweek and you've got disastrous traffic issues (remember in CA we are only allowed 1 person per car ).
It will be so bad that people will not even think about going to mid week games.- It's located near a MAJOR landfill. On hot summer nights the smell of rotting garbage will overwhelm the smell of hot dogs and beer.
- There will be NO public transportation available to the park save for busses, which will be travelling the same traffic choked roads. Currently what passes for rapid transit in the Bay Area (BART) has a stop right outside the Oakland Coliseum and is used by most fans coming to games from the 'burbs. BART goes to Fremont but then there would have to be shuttle busses on the already crowded streets feeding the highway.
- Cisco is touting a host of high-tech features at the new park, including some laughable ones such as this:
<< <i> There also was a brief demonstration showing how fans order a "fan-cam" photo of themselves from the stadium video screen for $150. >>
I'm sure the deal means zillions of dollars for Mr Wolff and as owner he's entitled to do whatever he wants but as a former Oakland resident I fell sad for the city.
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<< <i>The San Jose Oakland Athletics of Fremont >>
That's a catchy name!
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The alternative is moving the team entirely. At least it's staying in the same general area.
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
<< <i>It doesn't sound great, and hopefully they won't turn it into a mall like Anaheim Stadium, but anything is an improvement. Oakland Coliseum is, without a doubt, the worst ball park in the country. >>
Anthony - you can only say that now that they have demolished Veterans Stadium. I much preferred Oakland to Vet Stadium, but that's like saying I prefer to be burned alive than to be drawn and quartered.
<< <i>It doesn't sound great, and hopefully they won't turn it into a mall like Anaheim Stadium. >>
Actually, that's EXACTLY what the current plan is. Stadium, upscale shopping on the ground level and residences ($600,000 and up) above the shopping levels.
<< The San Jose Oakland Athletics of Fremont >>
You ain't got nothin on " Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem of California"
The New Jersey Giants?