1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: This is the business of sports where in the situation 2 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: that we haven't dealt with in modern times, pandemic here 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: has really accelerated the investments that you've been advocating for 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: for years. From a macro standpoint, I think our sport 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: industry is really forced to look at the business a 6 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,639 Speaker 1: little bit differently. In depth conversations with the leaders in 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: the sports industry. Who wants to be the sacrificial lambs 8 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: that shows up at the first big major sporting event 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: were part of something much bigger than the sport right 10 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: now and the health and saptry of our stakeholders, the 11 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: boks much important every moment. I think we're all from 12 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,560 Speaker 1: the business respective thinking about the impact that the virus 13 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,479 Speaker 1: is having a across the country and Bloomberg Business of 14 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,279 Speaker 1: Sports from Bloomberg Radio. I'm John stash hour in this 15 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: week for Jason Kelly and Michael Barr and on Mike 16 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: Lynch and over the next hour we will explore the 17 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: big money issues in the world the sports, talk to 18 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 1: some of the biggest players of the industry and coming 19 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: up we'll talk with the president of the Oakland Athletics, 20 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: Dave Kabble. But guys, we talked about the big news 21 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: in college football this maybe bet in the podcast about 22 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,479 Speaker 1: at least the Big ten in Pac twelve not playing 23 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 1: in the fall, the other conferences going forward, the NFL 24 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: of course planning to go forward. Training camps are going 25 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: on right now. Do you guys watch ever watch uh 26 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: Hard Knocks on HPO. This is, of course the show, 27 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: the reality type show where they go inside the training camps. 28 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: This year they're doing the two Los Angeles teams together, 29 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: the Rams and the Chargers, And definitely gotta feeling how 30 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: different these training camps are. Um. First of all, they 31 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,960 Speaker 1: haven't even put the pads on yet. They're they're wearing shorts, 32 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 1: T shirts and masks, that's it. And uh, they're getting 33 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 1: tested constantly and getting their temperatures taken constantly. And you 34 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: saw the kind of the interaction with the health workers 35 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: UM at the training camps. It's I mean, it really 36 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: gave an indication of just how different this training camp is. 37 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: It's something I always bring up, and I know I'm 38 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: I'm beating dead horse, but I mean it's when you're 39 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: not playing the game in a bubble, you you open 40 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: yoursel and you said it yourself, John, you open yourself, 41 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: hope to a myriad of situations, and you hope everybody 42 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: cross your fingers, everybody behaves in this and they don't 43 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:24,959 Speaker 1: go out to do something crazy whatever, and then bring 44 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: in COVID and then and then the whole thing is 45 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: all shot. To Smith means bubbles working. We know that 46 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: zero positive tests for the NBA, zero positive tests for 47 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: the National Hockey League. The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans 48 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: Saints are considering going into a bubble. But when you're 49 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: talking about a basketball hockey team, you're talking about a 50 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: party of thirty people. Now you talk about an NFL team, 51 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: and before you make your cuts, I mean, you've got 52 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: a roster of eight players or ninety players, and then 53 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: this all the assistant coaches. I don't see how it's possible. 54 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:58,679 Speaker 1: You'd have to take over a couple of hotels or 55 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 1: a whole apartment complex. So, like baseball, the only thing 56 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: that could ruin the NFL are the NFL players themselves misbehaving, 57 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: like we've seen with some baseball players. Zach Playzack of 58 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: the Cleveland Indians broke protocol when he was in Chicago. 59 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: They got a rental car and they said hit the 60 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 1: road Jack and they sent him home. Well, what's also 61 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: interesting is are these football players can they Now they're 62 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: tested constantly, understand, but let's say they test negative, but 63 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,359 Speaker 1: it's not in there. They didn't catch it whatever I mean, 64 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: can you get it from the actual hand to hand 65 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 1: contact of playing on the field, like we've had the 66 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: Marlins and the Cardinals. It went through both teams, but 67 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: it did not the teams that they were playing. Remember 68 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 1: the Marlins played the Phillies and everyone said, oh, now 69 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: the Phillies are gonna get it. Well they didn't. So 70 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 1: that's the thing. They haven't started real contact in these 71 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: training camps yet, but that's a real concern if they're 72 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 1: gonna you know, we don't how these linemen go against 73 00:03:56,240 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: each other on every play. What if they If he's 74 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: got it and then somebody gets it from actually playing 75 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:06,119 Speaker 1: on the field. Well, and I saw it on one 76 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 1: of the news shows, and I forgot who the expert was. 77 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 1: He said, look, how are you going to play football 78 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 1: in distancing six ft and not breathe on the other 79 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: guy Because that's how it really spreads. So you're going 80 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 1: in for a hit top speed that alone, you're gonna 81 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: knock the wind out of somebody. So how is that 82 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: going to out of all the sports? I just I 83 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: don't see how this can work. But I hope it 84 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 1: does because I'm a huge football fan obviously, but I 85 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 1: just don't see it. And Michael, before you even have 86 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:47,480 Speaker 1: that tackle, but his my concern. Starting the huddle, the 87 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 1: quarterback is face to face with ten other people and 88 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 1: they're like inches away from him. And the same thing 89 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:57,040 Speaker 1: in the defensive huddle. So before you even have a handoff, 90 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: a block or a tackle, you've got droplets that are 91 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: just being spewed all over ten different teammates. When you know, 92 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: Cam Newton comes into the huddle and he says, you know, 93 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: King Wright, the forty four play pass on too ready 94 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: break and boom. Now you come over. You're standing over 95 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: the center and there's a nose guard probably three ft 96 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: across from you, and you you know, to think of 97 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 1: Peyton Manning. Omaha, omaha, more droplets. So before the ball 98 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: is even hiked, we've got possible potential for contamination right there. 99 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,599 Speaker 1: I can see it now. It's like bandy camp. Sometimes 100 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: you can't even hear it with this face guard is like, omaha, what, Iowa, 101 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: what do you say what you can't hear it, which 102 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 1: brings me, by the way, if I'm may Uh. There's 103 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 1: another major story that is out a group of Democratic 104 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 1: Senators led by New Jersey's Corey Bookers, pushing for a 105 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: college athletes Bill of Rights. It will allow compensation and 106 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: healthcare coverage for the players who drive a sixteen billion 107 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 1: dollar industry. And when I forgot about this, Booker he 108 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 1: played tight end for Stanford, so he announced the proposal, 109 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:14,239 Speaker 1: saying it's to advance justice and opportunity. Well, changes are coming, 110 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: you know in college sports. And then, you know, I 111 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:19,280 Speaker 1: don't think there's any question about it. We've seen it. 112 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 1: We've seen it as a result as a as a 113 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 1: you know, after all of the Black Lives Matter of 114 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 1: protests and athletes being involved, we've seen athletes now pushed 115 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 1: back against their own coaches at times, the kind of 116 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 1: thing you didn't see before. And now we see athletes, 117 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 1: you know, we saw it in the Pack twelve. They 118 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: wanted a kind of a voice in the room, of 119 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 1: a seat at the table about what was gonna happen. Um, 120 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,840 Speaker 1: there's no way this goes to all of that. There's 121 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 1: changes are coming. I'm not sure when but the day 122 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 1: is gonna come where Um, it's it's gonna be a 123 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 1: whole different ballgame. Well, we've seen out in Colorado State 124 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 1: some of the players UH saying that the coaching staff said, 125 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: don't tell anybody if you're attested positive. We're putting the 126 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 1: football season ahead of the player's health there, and that 127 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: was kind of alarming when that story came out. I 128 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,240 Speaker 1: think this is a step in the right direction by 129 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: the college student Athletes Bill of Rights. I know we 130 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: all have different opinions whether the players should be compensated 131 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: or not. UM, I've got my own thoughts on that, 132 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 1: but right now I think that their health and safety 133 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: proper insurance, UH, and also avoiding risks and not being 134 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: penalized by losing their scholarship or any eligibility if they 135 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: decide to not play because they're fearful for their health, 136 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: then we're happy to be joined by the president of 137 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: the Oakland A's Dave Kabo. Remember you can catch A's 138 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: baseball on Bloomberg Radio six Am in the Bay Air. 139 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: In fact, I think that right when that deal was struck, 140 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: the team took off on a nine game winning streak, 141 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: so it was a good deal. All around. To Dave, 142 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: we want to get to uh the team playing well 143 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: and the the challenges of winning in a with a 144 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: smaller payroll that's been going on obviously the stadium, Missie. 145 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: I want to go back to late June early July, 146 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: when we had this back and forth in baseball. Seemingly 147 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: every day things got ugly. The union, the commissioner, how 148 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: many games should we play, pro rated salary, all of that. 149 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: I don't know how privy you were to what was 150 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: going on behind the scenes, but was there a time 151 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: when you were really worried that there would not be 152 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: baseball at all this year? I mean, I always thought 153 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: we could come to an agreement with the players Association. 154 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: I think the players, the owners, everyone wanted to do 155 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: everything they could to play. We know that in past 156 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 1: um situations and um, you know areas like you know, 157 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: nine eleven or back to World War Two, the baseball 158 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 1: has been a healing force in crisis these and so 159 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 1: I think we all felt a sense of responsibility to 160 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: get back on the diamond. Obviously, the negotiations kind of 161 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:54,079 Speaker 1: unfolded in the public, but we did get through that. 162 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 1: We came up with a great protocol that we think 163 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: has been working very well, and we're playing base ball, 164 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: and we're actually playing really good baseball, the A's, and 165 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: so it's great to be able to turn on the 166 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: TV and watch the games and you recreate as much 167 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 1: of the atmosphere as we can without the fans. You 168 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 1: became part of the president of the Oakland A's of 169 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 1: leaving and one of the first things you did was 170 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 1: increased the amount of marketing for the A's, especially in 171 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: San Francisco, which obviously is a very smart movie and 172 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: you can you take us through that and and your 173 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: Fox Well, you know, they're baseball fans all over the 174 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 1: Bay Area and you're having two teams in the same 175 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: market afford to the opportunity to kind of have that 176 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 1: really getting rivalry, kind of like think European soccer the 177 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: Derby's between Arsenal and Tottenham. And so I wanted to 178 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: play that up and make that a big part of 179 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:51,319 Speaker 1: the experience during the Bay Area and so into San Francisco, 180 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: and we got aggressive going after fans of baseball in 181 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: San Francisco to adopt the A's. We did the McCovey 182 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 1: cove takeover where we took in Urmand Shifts in the 183 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: McCovey Cove all AIDS decorated stomper our mascot, the elephant 184 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:09,320 Speaker 1: on a boat, bullhorns, the whole thing. We did a 185 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: hat exchange so if anyone had a Giant hat, you 186 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: could exchange it for a brand new AIDS hat. And 187 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: I think we had something like hats that we got 188 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: Giants hats, and so we did a lot of really fun, 189 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: kind of guerilla marketing efforts. It created a lot of 190 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: buzz in the local community here in the Bay Area 191 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 1: and really became even a national story. David, I know 192 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 1: you've got a proposal to build a new stadium down 193 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:36,199 Speaker 1: at the Howard Terminal, very kind of cozy stadium, thirty 194 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,199 Speaker 1: four thousand seats. I'm up in Boston, so that you 195 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,440 Speaker 1: know the thirty thousand, the thirty eight thousand is quite 196 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 1: familiar with us up here. But you also have a 197 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: plan to upgrade the Colisseum. Is that what is your 198 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: primary plan right now? Well, our plan for the for 199 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: a new ballpark is at the waterfront and Howard Terminal, 200 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: but we also have a plan with the city of 201 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: Oakland and the county to work on redeveloping the Colisseum site, 202 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,440 Speaker 1: so we don't abandon East Oakland so it can be 203 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 1: an economic driver for that part of the city. Um. 204 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: It retains the arena where the Warriors used to play 205 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: and build kind of a mixed use development around it. Um. 206 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: So that's one of our real estate projects. And then 207 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 1: the other one is at the waterfront. We have this 208 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: incredible duel box ballpark thirty four thousand designed by the 209 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: rc Englds group Danish architects, incredible water views, and then 210 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 1: a development around in a village that can really um 211 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 1: take the Oakland waterfront to a new level and really 212 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: have the same kind of renaissance that you saw in 213 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: San Francisco when they built Lorical Park. So, Dave, what's 214 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: the timeline here when you're doing all this work? When 215 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:45,680 Speaker 1: can you envision opening day for the A's at a 216 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: new ballpark. Well, I think the key thing is to 217 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: get all the political approvals next year. You know, everything 218 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,439 Speaker 1: kind of flips a year when we had COVID. You know, 219 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: originally that was all gonna happen this year at but 220 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 1: some of the public meetings that are necessary to get 221 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: city council approval had to be put off, and so 222 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: we're looking for a final approval next and then you know, 223 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: based on the city priority and where things stand. You know, 224 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:12,559 Speaker 1: it takes a couple of years, maybe two and a 225 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: half years to build it, and so so we're trying 226 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: over the next three years or so to gainst the 227 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: stadium out of the ground, have a great openay, have 228 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: a lot of excitement there. It allows us to retain 229 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 1: our players, to have a bigger payroll, to not be 230 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: still reliant on moneyball, and I think that can really 231 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: usher in, uh maybe even a golden era of baseball 232 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 1: in Oakland. Thirty four thousand seat ballpark, and it's privately finance, 233 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: which means you guys have some leverage. When you're talking 234 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 1: about the local politicians there. You're not asking for any 235 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 1: taxpayer money. This is this is privately finance, so you 236 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 1: must have some leverage going into this. Yeah. I mean 237 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:54,800 Speaker 1: it's an incredible deal for the city in the community. 238 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: I mean, it creates over seven billion dollars in economic impact, 239 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 1: all with private capital, six thousand permanent jobs, all union 240 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 1: construction and another jobs. It takes an area that's really 241 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: an abandoned maritime terminal and turns it into one of 242 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 1: the places to be in the Bay area where ferries 243 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: can come up and dock and burn people from Soslito 244 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: or South San Francisco or Redwood City and just you know, 245 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: create vibrancy and and a reason to come to Oakland 246 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 1: and to spend your tax dollars and so well, we 247 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:28,439 Speaker 1: think the project is very exciting. Um. We have the 248 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: port already voted in favor of it about a year ago, 249 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 1: and we're looking forward to getting in front of the 250 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: city council and getting innesting approof Hey, but obviously the 251 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: Warriors have moved over to San Francisco, the Raiders have 252 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 1: gone to Vegas. If this proposal falls through, are you 253 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 1: committed to staying in Oakland or would you be tempted 254 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 1: to move the franchise somewhere else. We are a hundred 255 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 1: percent focused on building our waterfront stadium in Oakland. You know, 256 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 1: we're rooted in Oakland. We've been here fifty two years 257 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: where the last team left. We feel a great sense 258 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: of responsibility to repre sent the town. There's such a 259 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 1: great baseball history with players like Frank Robinson and Ricky 260 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 1: Henderson and Dave Stewart Um and then obviously the teams 261 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 1: the Oakland Oaks and obviously the Oakland A's and so 262 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: we think we can really be successful in Oakland. Obviously, 263 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:17,439 Speaker 1: we still need to get the ballpark build. It is 264 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: our north star and that's why we're putting so much 265 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: effort into doing that at this time. Dave, the team 266 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 1: playing very well. I think we've all probably if we 267 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: haven't read the book Moneyball, we saw the movie maybe 268 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: both um as Billy Bean does, he watched the games 269 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: now and that was that was the thing I saw. 270 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: My son watched that movie. Is like, really, he's the 271 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: general manager. He doesn't watch the games, but he still 272 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 1: puts this team, these teams together despite these small payrolls. 273 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: How does he do that? It's really amazing. I've been 274 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 1: working with Billy the last you know, three or four 275 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: years and his team himself, David Forrest, who's our GM. 276 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: It was his right hand man. Um. They just do 277 00:14:56,120 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 1: an exceptional job of trading for the right players, value talent, 278 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 1: and then having the discipline to make the right decisions, 279 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 1: especially when a lot of maybe market forces would be 280 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: pushing to a different direction. And that's created just some 281 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: incredible teams and incredible track record of success for the 282 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: last twenty years, making the playoffs more than half the 283 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: times with basically one of the lowest payrolls in the league. 284 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 1: And you know, once again we have one of the 285 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: lower payrolls. We're a smaller market club, we don't have 286 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: revenue sharing, but we're competing. We have the best record 287 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 1: of the American League, and we have some of the 288 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: best young players in Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Sean and 289 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 1: iah Ramo Mariano. So just the team you really love 290 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: watching and we're excited to be where we are. I 291 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: always ask this and when we talk about baseball, and 292 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 1: I brought this up numerous times. Uh, major league baseball 293 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: is going to continue on in a COVID post era. 294 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 1: It'll be fine. But minor league baseball, that's a totally 295 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: different story. Can I get your thoughts about do you 296 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: see the future for minor league baseball going? Well, it's 297 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: interesting because I actually started a minor league of Golden 298 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: Baseball League back in two thousand and four, and so 299 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 1: I'm very familiar with the business. It's under tremendous flux. Obviously, 300 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 1: in losing all your game day revenues, there really is 301 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 1: no business there. It's a location based entertainment, so I 302 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: think that's gonna it was a big challenge for the industry. 303 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 1: And then the relationship between Major League Baseball and Minor 304 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: League Baseball. You know, the contract expires this year, so 305 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: all these things are happening at the same time. I 306 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: think there's some real questions. I think it's important for 307 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 1: baseball to be played in small towns. It's an incredible 308 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 1: way to build and market our our product, and I 309 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: think it's something that has to continue in a real way. 310 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: So I'm hopeful that we can find a way through, 311 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: but I do think it will be forever affected by 312 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: covid um and by kind of the timing of this 313 00:16:55,960 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 1: pandemic hitting our industry. David Do with something into resting 314 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:04,120 Speaker 1: called office hours, Well, you actually have fans come in 315 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: and let me ask you, what kind of hat do 316 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 1: you wear? It? Like you a psychiatrists, are you the 317 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 1: sort of the sounding board for people that have suggestions 318 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:18,199 Speaker 1: or complaints? I I wear all the halse I mean, 319 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:20,359 Speaker 1: I must have twenty asks to wear in that situation. 320 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 1: But people will come in and you know, some people 321 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:25,680 Speaker 1: are really interested in a job and getting into sports. 322 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: You know, some people talk about their love of the 323 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 1: nineteen seventies as the Swinging AI's. You know, some people 324 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:34,439 Speaker 1: are upset on who's playing second base and think that 325 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: they have a better concept or someone to sign, so 326 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:38,880 Speaker 1: I mean, and some people just want to sell me insurance. 327 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: You know. It's like it's a full gamut. You get 328 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:43,119 Speaker 1: a little bit of everything. Um, but it's it's an 329 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 1: incredible way to keep your finger on the pulse of 330 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 1: the fan base and interact with people and be approachable 331 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: and transparent. And I really enjoy it. And when we 332 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 1: started it, I've done it with the Earthquakes, the previous 333 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:57,760 Speaker 1: team in fantasy, the soccer team, but with theses on 334 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: such a bigger platform. It's something that I've a team 335 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 1: president Jonn't do and I've had hundreds and hundreds of 336 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:05,680 Speaker 1: probably even a thousand people now that I've met with 337 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:09,000 Speaker 1: that way, and it's definitely one of my more enjoyable 338 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:13,919 Speaker 1: things of the role. David obviously so much involved with marketing. 339 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: How much and this goes for every team in baseball 340 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: and in the commissioner's office, but how much are you 341 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 1: focusing on trying to get younger people to love baseball? 342 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,919 Speaker 1: Because we were old we all love baseball. But what 343 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: about the younger generation. Well, I think we need to 344 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:37,439 Speaker 1: do more as an industry. Um, you know, I have 345 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:40,719 Speaker 1: two teenage daughters and I see it firsthand that you know, 346 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 1: sitting down and watching it nine nine innings of baseball. 347 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,919 Speaker 1: It's not as appealing as some of these other forms 348 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 1: of content. And our players are not as outspoken or 349 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: you know, quote unquote entertaining as maybe some of the 350 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: other leads. And so we need to do a better job. 351 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 1: We need to promote our players. We have great players. 352 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:03,320 Speaker 1: We have players like Romeo Mariano who like the superstar 353 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,639 Speaker 1: center fielder. We need to do a better job of 354 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: making them global icons and stars like the soccer players, 355 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 1: like the NBA players, And I think that can draw 356 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 1: people into the sport because when you when you get 357 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: hooked on baseball, it's really a lifestyle. It's something that 358 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:20,919 Speaker 1: you just want to watch. It's in the background of 359 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 1: your life. It happens every day, and it's someone who 360 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 1: grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and big Indian fan and 361 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:29,920 Speaker 1: just seeing how that could influence your life and your family. 362 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: We need to transport that to the next generation. And 363 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: so that's that's something that we're trying to do everything 364 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 1: we can to promote both at the team level, the 365 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: club level, then also in our interactions with the league 366 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 1: and doing everything we can to promote that well. As 367 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 1: John said, we're old, and you brought up the seventies days, 368 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: and I remember very vividly on TV watching Vita Blue 369 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: make this magnificent catch on the wall in the in 370 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 1: the series, and I just wonder, from selling merchandise, I 371 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,639 Speaker 1: don't know if you guys do it. Have you guys 372 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:11,439 Speaker 1: sold the old series where you guys played with Reggie 373 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:16,640 Speaker 1: Jackson and and Catfish and all those guys. Is there 374 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,639 Speaker 1: a way you could just sell that and the market 375 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: the DVD for that. Yeah, we've actually done that, and 376 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 1: we actually during the pandemic when everything was shut down, 377 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: we actually showed that stuff on NBC California and it 378 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 1: got actually really good ratings. And you know, we even 379 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 1: went and changed last year. I brought back to Kelly 380 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:39,679 Speaker 1: Green uniforms that we hadn't had the seventies, and it 381 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: was a great way to connect to our history and 382 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 1: and the nostalgia around those nineteen seventies teams because they 383 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:49,400 Speaker 1: had some of the biggest, you know, characters in all 384 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:53,120 Speaker 1: sports history and Reggie Jackson and you know obviously um 385 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,119 Speaker 1: Catfish and you know Charlie Finley had everyone with a 386 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 1: different name like Raleigh Fingers, and those are just fun teams. 387 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: And you know it's see even the color of everything, 388 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: you know, everything was in petnic color there. And I 389 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: think we can do the same thing with the days. 390 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:09,199 Speaker 1: And we've always been at the forefront and we've been 391 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: dynamics with our marketing and promotion, and we want to 392 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: build on that and and continue that tradition as we 393 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 1: move forward. I love the green uniforms, by the way, 394 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 1: they just and in the California sunshine, they just stand out. Um, 395 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:26,159 Speaker 1: love them, love them, love them. Um. If you were 396 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 1: the president of the Yankees, of the Cubs, of the 397 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: Red Sox, of the Dodgers, you probably wouldn't have to 398 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:33,360 Speaker 1: be as active marketing right now. And and I mean 399 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 1: no disrespect by this at all, but it almost seems 400 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 1: like your job is like the president of like a 401 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 1: minor league team, because you're constantly trying to promote, a 402 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:45,119 Speaker 1: trying to market and you're trying to sell. Did you 403 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 1: relish that role? I mean, we've always been kind of 404 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 1: a challenger team. Um, the A's because you know, we 405 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: were the second team in the market. But I think 406 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:57,720 Speaker 1: we know deep down that not only do we have 407 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 1: the talent, but we also have like of fan base 408 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,000 Speaker 1: that wants to get behind the club and kind of 409 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: you know, had that underdog status, and they can be motivating, 410 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:10,879 Speaker 1: I think for everyone involved. And and we've really taken 411 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: the mantle on that and we've done everything that we 412 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,600 Speaker 1: can do to promote that. And I think that's one 413 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 1: of the really natural storylines that comes out of leading 414 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:20,920 Speaker 1: the as which which is I think is a really 415 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:23,040 Speaker 1: fun thing. Hey, if I want to get to this, 416 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 1: because I found this in your Wikipedia that you graduated 417 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:30,960 Speaker 1: from Stanford in the late night, which was a big 418 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:34,240 Speaker 1: year in baseball with McGuire and Sosa, and you did 419 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:37,040 Speaker 1: you and a friend did something that I think is 420 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:40,439 Speaker 1: on a lot of people's bucket lists. You drove across 421 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 1: the country and went to every ballpark thirty parks days. 422 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 1: How did you do that? What are your memories of that? Well, 423 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 1: it's an incredible summer, you know, me and Brad and 424 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: all my best friend we traveled to all thirty ballparks 425 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:58,400 Speaker 1: in thirty eight days, drove fifteen thousand Miles had an 426 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: incredible series of meetings with people, whether it was Mariana 427 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 1: Rivera and the Yankees bullpen, or just driving a thousand 428 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 1: miles overnight from Tampa Bay to Baltimore. And it was 429 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:13,520 Speaker 1: just a great way to kind of rekindle my passion 430 00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 1: for baseball, to see all the ballparks in the United States, 431 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 1: and to just get a sense of how, even though 432 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: America can be so different at times, there are unifying 433 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 1: things like baseball. And that was a great summer. That 434 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:28,680 Speaker 1: was so some McGuire. We had a big home run chase, 435 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: the Yankees won all those games. I mean, it was 436 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:34,200 Speaker 1: as good a year and uh and then we wrote 437 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:36,120 Speaker 1: a book on it called The Summer That Saved Baseball, 438 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 1: which you can still get on Amazon. And it was 439 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 1: just an incredible experience and just treasure all the memories 440 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: of this fun time. I can't let that go. You 441 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: drove thirty eight days to thirty ballparks. I mean, we 442 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 1: we are going cross country here obviously everywhere we went everywhere. 443 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:58,080 Speaker 1: I mean we we slept on the field of Dream 444 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 1: and left field and then at four in the morning 445 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 1: we heard the sound and it was a sprinklers. We 446 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:09,080 Speaker 1: got dread. We didn't know which. It was hilarious, you know, 447 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: it was a fun times and the stadiums and the players, 448 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 1: and we kept running into Luis Gonzalez who played for 449 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:16,280 Speaker 1: the Tigers, who ran in to be fun played five 450 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: times and uh, he stands, and it was it was 451 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:23,440 Speaker 1: we were hamming it up and we're on TV around 452 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 1: the Today Show Sports Center, so it was it was 453 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:29,680 Speaker 1: an incredible lifetime experience and um, yeah, I can't believe 454 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: it was over twenty years ago. Was crazy. I gotta 455 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:35,120 Speaker 1: ask which one was your favorite ballpark? Our favorite was Fenway. 456 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 1: You know, we really like number one Fenway. Number number 457 00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 1: two is regularly which we love. You like Tiger Stadium, 458 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 1: you know, we went there before, um, just because it 459 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: was so classic and so historic and even though you 460 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:51,760 Speaker 1: couldn't stand up in the in the dugouts because it 461 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 1: was like five eight or something like that, so it 462 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 1: was kind of funny. Um. But yeah, we ranked all 463 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 1: the different locations and the fans and um, you know, 464 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 1: and that was pretty incredible to be running the A's 465 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 1: and operating Ocanalamda Coliseum when you know we went there 466 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: all those years ago and had a great experience. Well, 467 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 1: thank you for putting family at the top of the list. 468 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 1: That makes me very happy. I have a smile on 469 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 1: my face right now. Two years ago, you drew fifty 470 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 1: six thousand people to a home game against the Giants. 471 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:24,359 Speaker 1: How the heck did you do that? Well? That was 472 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:27,640 Speaker 1: playing on really that rivalry, the Cropstown rivalry that had 473 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,160 Speaker 1: exchange the McCovey Coast takeover. We brought the ships over 474 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 1: and really creating that rivalry um locally, which also creates 475 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: a lot of media attension. And so we were doing 476 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: everything we could to play up the Giants A's rivalry. 477 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:44,199 Speaker 1: We opened Mountain Davis, which is the area where it 478 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:46,880 Speaker 1: used to watch the Raiders, and just sold the whole 479 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 1: place out, and the atmosphere was incredible. It was electrics, 480 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:54,680 Speaker 1: and those are the types of experiences that can draw 481 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 1: fans for generations. You know, you remember those amazing games, 482 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:00,680 Speaker 1: and so that's one of the most boardant things. Now 483 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:03,639 Speaker 1: we're creating more fans for the A's, especially as we 484 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 1: move into this new ballpark at the waterfront, getting or notoriety, 485 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:10,399 Speaker 1: getting people excited about our young team. And that was 486 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,840 Speaker 1: a great way to do that. Hey, you mentioned the 487 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 1: rivalry and you're playing the Giants this weekend, So that'll 488 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 1: be fun. I wish you'd I mean, you'd like they 489 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,880 Speaker 1: get fifty six that actually they're at Oracle this weekend. 490 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 1: But everybody watching on TV or listening on Bloomberg Radio 491 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:28,920 Speaker 1: to the games this weekend. Yeah, you know you mentioned 492 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: the Raiders. Um, we're not going to see the Raiders 493 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 1: playing on that dirt infield anymore. Uh, they've moved to Vegas. 494 00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: What was your Does that have any effect pro or 495 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:43,199 Speaker 1: con for the A's Well, I mean I think, you know, 496 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 1: for the fans in Oakland, you know, it's sad because 497 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:50,160 Speaker 1: you know, they had an experience going to those games, tailgating. 498 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 1: You know, it was really almost a cultural experience to 499 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:55,879 Speaker 1: be a Raiders fan. I mean, obviously, I think a 500 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:57,919 Speaker 1: lot of them will travel to Las Vegas for some 501 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,359 Speaker 1: of the games, but it'll be different. And so I 502 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:02,919 Speaker 1: think it's made people realize, with them going to Vegas, 503 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 1: with the Warriors going to San Francisco, the importance of 504 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:09,479 Speaker 1: a professional sports team to a community. It's more. It's 505 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:12,320 Speaker 1: it's more than just even the games. It's specific pride, 506 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:16,120 Speaker 1: it's the community. It's bringing people together across those two 507 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:20,200 Speaker 1: economic lines. Together in one location, and especially a baseball 508 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: eighty one games a year. We probably provided most of that, 509 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 1: and so I think it's brought with it those teams 510 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 1: leaving renewed focus on retaining the a's making sure that 511 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:33,760 Speaker 1: this ballpark gets built and the city fathers and mothers 512 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,200 Speaker 1: have really taken to that. So that's an important thing 513 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: for for our future. This year, we are playing baseball 514 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: in a in a COVID world. UH. The NBA they're 515 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:48,440 Speaker 1: in a bubble, the NHL, they're in a bubble. The 516 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:53,959 Speaker 1: Major League Baseball, UH, they have different rules. Your thoughts 517 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 1: about how Major League Baseball UH is going through this 518 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 1: and unfortunately we've had what been to St. Louis and 519 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: Miami where COVID spread throughout the team. Your thoughts about 520 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:10,680 Speaker 1: what's happening in the COVID world. Well, you know, we 521 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:12,439 Speaker 1: spent a lot of time in the off season and 522 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 1: I was involved, you know, as a UM one of 523 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 1: the team presidents, coming up with the protocols um ensuring 524 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:21,040 Speaker 1: that we had a system to deal with the fact 525 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 1: that there would be positive that we have more of 526 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 1: a hybrid system where teams will play in their home markets. UM. 527 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:30,840 Speaker 1: And actually I think we've shown our resiliency that we've 528 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:34,640 Speaker 1: gotten of the way through the season. We of course 529 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:37,200 Speaker 1: have had a couple of teams where there have been outbreaks, 530 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 1: but you know, Miami Marlins got back on the field 531 00:28:39,880 --> 00:28:42,840 Speaker 1: and actually they're doing really well and playing very very well. 532 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 1: Just just pieces of Blue Jays the other day, and so, 533 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: I mean, we're doing everything we can to adhere to 534 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: the guidelines to ensure that there's no spread team the team, 535 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 1: and we've seen actually a tremendous amount of success. Most 536 00:28:56,560 --> 00:28:59,560 Speaker 1: of the actual tests have been negative, and we're doing 537 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 1: everything we can to play in a safe way and 538 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:04,480 Speaker 1: get the games in so our pants can watch them 539 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,880 Speaker 1: on TV. And so that's been the focus. Um And 540 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 1: you know, obviously being almost a third of the way 541 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 1: through the season, we're happy that we've gotten that far, 542 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:16,760 Speaker 1: but we have to remain really disciplined to ensure that 543 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:19,240 Speaker 1: we can get the season in and get into the 544 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: postseason and get a World Series run going. And especially 545 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: we're a very good team, so we really are incentive 546 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:26,280 Speaker 1: to make this happen with the best team in the 547 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:29,200 Speaker 1: American League right now, knock on wood. So it's it's 548 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:32,800 Speaker 1: a key focus for us in Oakland, David, I saw 549 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:35,440 Speaker 1: you sitting among the cardboard cutouts with your mask on. 550 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:40,360 Speaker 1: So if I want a Michael Barr cutout, and he 551 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:43,000 Speaker 1: had insists that he has to wear a Detroit Tiger's 552 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 1: hat first seats. But if you if you want a 553 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 1: Detroit Tiger hat, then you end up in the visiting 554 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 1: fans is us on the top of Mount Davis and 555 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 1: that's where all the eagles hang out. You better watch 556 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 1: that your you're cut out, it might be might have 557 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 1: bird guano all of them. But if you were, if 558 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,239 Speaker 1: you're an a pat, you can actually be down near 559 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 1: the field. And we I think we have over ten 560 00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 1: thousand cutouts, and we even have one with Tom Hanks, 561 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 1: which is really cool because he reached out to me. 562 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 1: He his first job ever was selling peanuts and popcorn 563 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:17,920 Speaker 1: at the Oakland A wim to call it sehim back 564 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 1: in the seventies and uh so we had his voice 565 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 1: in the actual speaker system, and you know, get your 566 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 1: hot dogs, get your rice coool beer. We have his cutout. 567 00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:28,840 Speaker 1: We have a lot of celebrities, we have obviously all 568 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 1: the fans and and it's just a fun thing to 569 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:33,400 Speaker 1: do to keep it light and fresh. And people always 570 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 1: want to know where their feats are. And and we 571 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:37,560 Speaker 1: even have the foul ball zone, so like if you're 572 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 1: in the foul ball zone and you're cutout quote unquote 573 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:44,240 Speaker 1: catches the foul ball, we authenticated and we set exit 574 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 1: to your house and then boom, you get the souvenir 575 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 1: like you caught him, which is really cool. Hey, Dave, 576 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 1: thanks so much for the time. I really appreciate it. 577 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:54,320 Speaker 1: Thanks for having me, guys. Take care of you guys. 578 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 1: That was an interesting interview. And you know, somebody asked 579 00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: him about the similarities to mine. A I think Michael's 580 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:02,840 Speaker 1: asked him about minor league baseball. I I did minor 581 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 1: league baseball a long time ago, and those guys worked 582 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:09,239 Speaker 1: so hard to do whatever they can to try and 583 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:12,120 Speaker 1: get people to the stadium. And that's kind of what 584 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 1: the A's have to do, even though they're a major 585 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 1: league team. Out a fun note, thirty stadiums in thirty 586 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:22,560 Speaker 1: eight days, and he mentioned one drive was about a 587 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 1: thousand miles overnight to get to the stadium. And when 588 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:30,720 Speaker 1: he mentioned that he was on the Today Show, it 589 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:33,680 Speaker 1: dawned on me. It's like, oh, yeah, I do remember that. 590 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:35,920 Speaker 1: It just I just didn't put it together at first 591 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 1: that it was the same person. But do you guys 592 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:41,520 Speaker 1: ever want to do that? You guys ever wanted I've 593 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 1: thought about it, but I don't know. It's a lot 594 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:47,240 Speaker 1: of drive. I'd like to visit all of the NASCAR 595 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:51,720 Speaker 1: tracks on the circuit. Leave that for you. I did 596 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 1: drive cross country when I got out of college one time, 597 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 1: and I stopped at every ballpark that was en route Um, 598 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:01,000 Speaker 1: and one of them was actually a the Denver of 599 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:06,120 Speaker 1: Broncos preseason football game. But my takeaway from this conversation was, 600 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:09,480 Speaker 1: you know, the Raiders have gone to Vegas, the Warriors 601 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 1: have gone to San Francisco, and he's committed to remain 602 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: rooted in Oakland, whether they get this new privately financed 603 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:18,760 Speaker 1: stadium down at the Howard Term or on the waterfront, 604 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: or they have to stay in the Colosseum and renovate. 605 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:24,520 Speaker 1: He thinks it's important that a that a major league 606 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: franchise remains in Oakland. And that was my takeaway. And 607 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 1: I'll tell you what this guy is. Uh. You know, 608 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 1: if I lived in Oakland and this guy was the 609 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 1: president of my local team, I'd be pretty happy with 610 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:35,760 Speaker 1: him because he's very very impressive, and I was just 611 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:40,920 Speaker 1: very entertained talking with him that it feels better to 612 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:42,960 Speaker 1: be number one than number five. I'll wear a number 613 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 1: because of Mike. We have a chance to go for 614 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 1: three in a row. Because numbers of a good time. 615 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 1: And I first started wearing the number, I would just 616 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 1: happy in Floomberg Business of Sports, the number of the week. Well, well, well, 617 00:32:55,720 --> 00:33:00,200 Speaker 1: welcome to the show. John, it's time. Now. What have 618 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 1: I gotten myself into for the number of the week. 619 00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:08,120 Speaker 1: Can't be worse than Kelly, I'll tell you that. Yeah, 620 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:12,000 Speaker 1: it was funny. We could have ripped off Kelly Man 621 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:14,120 Speaker 1: like big time with one of the questions. Anyway, I 622 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:17,280 Speaker 1: won't even go into it. Here's the question, Uh, the 623 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 1: sports betting industry generated this much money in taxes last year. 624 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 1: The reason why I'm bringing up has becomes with no 625 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 1: college football, Uh, they're gonna take a hit um this year. 626 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 1: So what I'm gonna ask his last year the sports 627 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:41,680 Speaker 1: betting industry, how much did it generate in Texas? Just 628 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:54,480 Speaker 1: in taxes in Texas? A lot? Go ahead, Mike oh Man. 629 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:56,080 Speaker 1: Why do I have to go first? I can isn't 630 00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:59,480 Speaker 1: like prices right, like do one dollar more or something 631 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:02,400 Speaker 1: and then can get win the problems prices something like 632 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:06,960 Speaker 1: the prices right, yeah, yeah, I'll throw out a billion dollars. 633 00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:16,319 Speaker 1: I'm gonna say sixteen billion. Wow, you have all over 634 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:22,800 Speaker 1: bid big times. The sports pending industry generated one million 635 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:29,399 Speaker 1: dollars in taxes last year in taxes, so and that's 636 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:33,040 Speaker 1: gonna take a big hit this year without football a 637 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:37,600 Speaker 1: college football in some areas. So oh, you did great, guys. 638 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 1: That's all I want because I was, I was, you know, 639 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:44,239 Speaker 1: eight hundred million off but I wont. Okay, Yeah, you on, 640 00:34:44,680 --> 00:34:46,720 Speaker 1: You're on, You're on stage, even though it's an overbid. 641 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:49,480 Speaker 1: I hope, I hope the boss isn't listening to this 642 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 1: because that's not very good at the at the business 643 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:58,960 Speaker 1: of sports can play Plinko. Man, you've been listening to 644 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 1: Bloomberg business is weren't. We're here each and every week 645 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:04,239 Speaker 1: at the same time, plus online wherever you can get 646 00:35:04,239 --> 00:35:06,520 Speaker 1: extended versions of this and all our interviews. You can 647 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 1: catch those Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. I'm John Stasha where 648 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:12,320 Speaker 1: now not Michael Barr. You can find me on Twitter 649 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:14,799 Speaker 1: at Big Bar Sports. Mike Lynch you can find me 650 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:18,320 Speaker 1: at Lynch e w CVB. You're listening to Bloomberg Business 651 00:35:18,360 --> 00:35:20,760 Speaker 1: and sports from Bloomberg Radio around the world.