Dot Com’s Lobby for A’s, I don’t

In response to: Silicon Valley millionaires are people, too

I’m not more of a magnate than I am a magnet, but I too have feelings on this subject. My feelings are mixed. I agree that a new stadium in San Jose would likely be a good thing for San Jose, for baseball, and especially for the A’s. I have a soft spot for the A’s. I respect what they’ve done with what little they’ve had to work with financially in the dreadful Coliseum. I’m also very grateful for having been introduced to Moneyball by Billy Beane and Michael Lewis – who’s a wonderful writer, by the way. Their fans, as few as they may seem during home games, are passionate. I respect them too – with the exception of a certain portion among them who are Raiders fans of “that” kind, the try to harm you for no reason kind. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that my first ever ballgame was spent on top of the home team dugout at the Coliseum many years ago.

But I selfishly care more about the Giants’ interests than those of the A’s and Major League Baseball as a whole. In fact, if the A’s clear completely out of the Bay Area, it only stands to increase the Giants’ market even further. Sweet. As Rob points out, I too am motivated by self-interest, by superstition and by tribe.

But I’ll leave a caveat open. If someone or something can convince me that the A’s move to San Jose won’t negatively impact the Giants’ ability to draw fans and generate revenue, I will wholeheartedly embrace the idea. I do consider San Jose to be Giants territory, and I do contend presently that an A’s move to San Jose would be detrimental to the Giants, and only the Giants. And maybe, just maybe, the unselfish side of me will cave the other and I’ll embrace it either way. But I doubt it. I’m a bona fide Giants fanatic.