A boatload of news has been piling up.
- Matier and Ross “reveal” that the real party behind the Stand for San Jose lawsuit is, in fact, the San Francisco Giants. Glad to know that Larry Baer and company are so concerned with traffic in downtown San Jose. (SFGate)
- The San Jose Earthquakes have gotten their development permit, so they are one step closer to breaking ground. (SBNation/Quake, Rattle and Roll)
- VTA approved $772 million for the BART-to-Silicon Valley project. This funding is contingent on federal matching funds, for which a decision is due in February. Incentives in the bidding could allow the first phase, which ends at the Berryessa/Flea Market site in North San Jose, to be opened as much as 18 months ahead of schedule in 2016. Berryessa is three miles from Diridon and there is no light rail transfer from there, so unless there is a special bus or existing routes are realigned, the best bet may be to transfer to light rail at the Great Mall. A post dedicated to this subject is due in the future. (Gary Richards, Merc)
- Santa Clara’s City Council approved $850 million in loans for its Stadium Authority to take out for the 49ers stadium. The money won’t actually be raised unless the NFL chips in with its $150 million share.
- The Merc’s Tim Kawakami tweets that the 49ers “might land a naming-rights deal with a green technology company…” Okay.
- Now that Tesla is gearing up for production at the old NUMMI plant and Union Pacific decided not to use land there for a big train/intermodal yard, Fremont is looking deep into ways to redevelop the land, the same way Oakland is looking at the Coliseum area. The 850 acres in question could be developed in a mixed use manner with up to 3,000 homes. Unlike Oakland, Fremont’s tendency to think small may keep things rather humble in nature, though that could change if some sort of anchor element were part of the planning. Like, oh, a stadium. (Matt Artz, Argus. Note: Good luck to Matt on his switch to the never boring Oakland city beat.)
- MLB may be getting ready to seize control of the Mets because the team is losing money like crazy. Let’s see, maybe a little after the Dodgers are sold in April/May? (John Harper, NY Daily News)
- Ever wonder where money from concerts and non-game events goes? This article tries to figure it out. (Tom Lyden, FOX 9 Twin Cities)
- Marlins ballpark news: There may be a scandal about shotty welds and falsified inspections on the retractable roof (Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald); See pictures inside and outside the stadium (Joe Capozzi, Palm Beach Post; Juan Gonzalez, Stadium Page); the Marlins are getting rid of their sideshow dance troupes of skinny girls and fat guys (Juan C. Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel)
- Robert Bobb is back in DC after two years as the Detroit Public Schools financial czar. What’s he doing? Consulting, of course.
- Qualcomm is changing the name of Qualcomm Stadium to “Snapdragon Stadium” for 11 days to give a marketing boost for its mobile chipset. (Terry Lefton, Sports Business Journal)
- The NFL announced extensions of its TV deals through 2022. Changes include an expanded Thursday night package on NFL Network and NBC getting rights to the Thanksgiving night game. Combined value of all TV deals is $4.3 billion a year, enough to take care of every team’s annual payroll without ever selling a ticket. (NFL Communications, Variety)
That’s it for now.
newballpark.org 
Bud can’t be stupid, he knows Baer and Giants ownership is behind this. Question is, does MLB take action since it doesn’t break the letter of the law, but it sure does bend it? My guess is they get a little bit less to go away quietly.
a bit embarassing if nothing else for bs that he can’t control the gints–they seemed to have figured a way around bs power—suprising that baer is being this agressive after just being admitted to the lodge–interesting to see how it plays out….
BS….time for you to take some leadership…finally…/waits
The Merc’s Tim Kawakami tweets that the 49ers “might land a naming-rights deal with a green technology company…” Okay.
It’s Solyndra…..:X Actually, I think it might be SunPower. They’re right down the street from the stadium, are actually profitable, and the only standout U.S. green company to date….
I wish someone in the media would call the Giants out for their real intention. They want to force the A’s out of the Bay Area and it is bullshit.
Interesting times make for interesting bedfellows. Oakland backchanneling with San Francisco. Oakland A’s fans in an almost perverse way pulling for the Giants obstruction in San Jose.
Well San Francisco is now sans football team as of 2014. Jed York just tweeted that the NFL has already approved the “son of G3” loan to the Niners for their stadium. That was the last domino that needed to fall before they can break ground.
Really crister? Most A’s fans on other blogs are pissed about the giants games-
Folks who want the A’s to stay in Oakland are rooting for the Giants. Folks who want the A’s to stay in the Bay Area are not so happy. Folks who want the team to move to San Jose are down right pissed… It is what it is.
There are some who believe the A’s owners can be forced to build in Oakland with their own money. Won’t happen.
Anyone want to set odds on when MLB decides the Mets mess takes priority over the A’s?
4 days ago
Yes, really, GoA’s. I said Oakland A’s fans. Not A’s fans. If one wished to be all Machiavellian, then Oakland fans were probably choking down their vomit and rooting for San Francisco to win the Series last year and thus raise and consolidate their profile in areas like san Jose. Not exactly a path to Oakland victory, but there dont’ seem to be many viable alternatives to swing things back Oakland’s way. The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that glib stuff.
Guess I prefe to look at what the majority of A’s fans want- which is o keep our team in the Bay Area- and SJ seems like the best bet- there is another saying for the Oakland only group… be careful what you wish for…
No need to worry all: the Stand For San Francisco’s Lawsuit is 100% frivolous! TWO completed, certified EIR’s, lncluding one for a 45k seat ballpark (traffic levels more than addressed for 36k seat Cisco Field) and land option THAT ISN’T subject to a vote per SJ Muni Code. Damn, I just saved the courts and taxpayers millions of dollars with this post! 😉
I would think that if the Mercury News really wanted the A’s (which I imagine they do, given how much a local sports team increases newspaper readership), they would eliminate the Giants coverage and splash the A’s all over the sports pages. Why not? What are people going to do, get the Chronicle instead?
This will probably become the case Brian once it’s announced and 100% certain that the A’s WILL BE San Jose’s team.
@Tony D./Brian – The Merc’s editor-in-chief would deserve to be fired if that was done. The point is to retain readers, not lose them.
Agree RM. Giants coverage would not be eliminated; the Merc still needs to compete with the Chron on the Peninsula. But A’s coverage would definitely improve tenfold, probably eclipsing Giants coverage.
The Merc covers Stanford more, the Chron covers Cal more, but both cover both teams. It would probably be similar if the A’s moved to SJ.