Coliseum Notes: A's, Giants Settlement Just Another Rumor, Says Official; More Courtside Seating For Warriors

Rendering of Cisco Field:

Future home of the A's?

A’S/GIANTS SETTLEMENT RUMOR Last Wednesday, various online outlets reported rumors of an impending settlement between the A’s and San Francisco Giants over territorial rights to San Jose. It is the stated intent of A’s management to pursue a 38,000-seat ballpark in San Jose, but the team ceded rights to the South Bay two decades ago to the Giants. The attention of bloggers was raised Wednesday after an appearance by Giants CEO Larry Baer on the MLB Network in which he stated the A’s need a new ballpark. After Friday’s OACCA meeting at Oracle Arena, Oakland Assistant City Administrator Fred Blackwell said it’s all a rumor and more of the same, at that. “Every few months there’s a rumor about what the A’s are doing and what the Giants are doing and I’ve kind of gotten to the point where I don’t really listen to them anymore," said Blackwell. "Until somebody tells me we are out of the game and it’s a communication from Major League Baseball, I consider it a rumor.” However, if the rumor turns out to be true, it would remove, by far, the biggest obstacle in the A’s way to San Jose.

ORACLE TO GET MORE COURTSIDE SEATING? The Golden State Warriors surprising first half of the NBA season may further enrich its owners and the Authority. OACCA Executive Director Scott Johnson says the Authority is looking to add a second tier of premium courtside seating. The roughly 113 additional seats could follow a similar configuration used by the Phoenix Suns, said Johnson. He says the Authority is currently looking for architecture plans to facilitate adding the potential second row of seating and it could be completed in time for the start of the 2013-14 season. Johnson also says Warriors management has requested unspecified improvements to Oracle Arena.

MILEY NAMED CHAIR The Authority appointed Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley as its next chair. He replaces former Oakland Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente, who was defeated in his run last year for the Oakland City Council At-Large seat. Oakland Vice Mayor Larry Reid, just appointed back to the Authority last Tuesday, was named vice chair. Miley said he believes deal for all three sports franchises can be gained in an equitable fashion for all sides, but he also flashed he well-known pique by referring to the infamously inequitable return of the Raiders in 1995. Said Miley: "I'm not going to get screwed over like the last time."Watch out for Miley. Staffers have long joked about his propensity for misusing sports metaphors. Hopefully, he won't tell the Raiders to "punt" when they decide whether to stay in Oakland or not.

Posted in: Aaron Goodwin , Athletics , Coliseum City , Fred Blackwell , Giants , Larry Reid , MLB , Nate Miley , NFL , O.co Coliseum , OACCA , Oakland Coliseum Authority , Raiders , San Jose , Scott Haggerty , Warriors