The Sacramento A’s are facing a serious challenge. Not only are they holding press conferences inside a glorified tool shed at Sutter Health Park, but they’re also sharing their home stadium with a minor league team. Having coexisted with the Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum for years, that field looked like a war zone by late September. Now, they are splitting time with the Sacramento River Cats, raising concerns about the condition of the field after months of shared use.
Foul Territory doesn’t need to speculate on this situation. Chris Biderman, senior reporter for Sacramento Bee, joined A.J. Pierzynski, Scott Braun, and Erik Katz to discuss the unfolding mess in Sacramento. “A lot of things are going to reveal themselves as the season goes on,” Biderman noted. “We talked about attendance—will it hold up over the long term, particularly if the A’s aren’t winning? What’s going to happen with the field? I don’t think it’s a given that the A’s will remain in Sacramento for the entire three-year span; if the field deteriorates and opposing teams complain, who knows?”
Another pressing issue is the media situation—or lack thereof. Biderman added, “The media setup certainly isn’t ideal. Fans may not care, but the inadequate press areas could jeopardize the A’s chances of hosting a playoff game. If they do make the playoffs, they’ll likely end up playing in San Francisco instead. How will that look for the A’s?”
“If enough factors go awry for the A’s, it wouldn’t surprise me if this Sacramento experience ends up being a one-and-done,” explained Biderman. “There’s a Major League ballpark in Oakland that’s currently being used by the Oakland Roots soccer team, but it wouldn’t take much to prepare it for Major League baseball again. Even with a fractured relationship with local officials and a divided fanbase, that unused stadium might make more sense for the A’s than West Sacramento if things go poorly.”
This is all speculation for now, but Biderman remarked that Chicago Cubs players were already expressing their discomfort before their series against the A’s even began. The media setup is far from ideal, particularly with the press shed down the left-field line that lacks climate control. They plan to make it climate-controlled, but without proper air conditioning on a 100-degree day, it’s hard to envision how a press conference could be conducted in what essentially becomes a metal box oven. That situation needs urgent attention.
Despite the facilities being “top-notch,” as noted by Biderman, the lack of a dedicated media space is a significant flaw. Instead of a proper press box, a makeshift area has been created, with a small press box accommodating three or four people, plus repurposed luxury suite seating. “It’s not a bad vantage point behind home plate, but during a playoff game, you require 150-200 media seats. Currently, the A’s have only about 30 or 40 available. On Opening Night, with 150 media personnel present, most were left without seats and were watching from the concourse or standing in the Standing Room Only area.”
If Opening Night serves as any indication, the A’s are not only struggling to accommodate media but also striving to present themselves as a legitimate Major League operation.
