Elephant Rumblings: A’s fulfill requirements to stay on revenue sharing indefinitely

Happy Saturday, Athletics Nation!

It’s a new year, but the same old penny-pinching John Fisher at the top of the Oakland A’s. In reaction to the PR hit they received for cowardly denying the Oakland Ballers an opportunity to play at the Coliseum in 2024, the A’s tried to get some positive press out by confirming that the team met the requirements to indefinitely remain in the league’s revenue sharing program — i.e. MLB welfare. Of course, the A’s used their external PR department, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, to disseminate their message.

The franchise had a January 15 deadline to get a binding agreement for a new stadium deal, which they met long ago when they completed an agreement with Bally’s Corp. to build a ballpark on the company’s Tropicana site in Las Vegas. The A’s were previously being phased out of revenue sharing since they’re located in Oakland, one of MLB’s largest markets, something that everyone besides Fisher knows and appreciates. The new CBA allowed them to ramp back up to 75% of their league share this year and 100% in 2025 as long as they had a stadium deal was in place.

If they end up actually getting their stadium built in Vegas, they’ll likely remain on revenue sharing since it’d be one of the smallest markets in the league. That means Fisher will get to continue living out his dream of raking in free cash for doing the absolute bare minimum. Any fans hoping the funds will be used to build a sustainable winner can take a quick glance at the past two decades of payrolls and laugh that hope away.

A’s Coverage:

• A’s Will Continue to Receive Revenue Sharing
• Oakland A’s meet MLB deadline to keep revenue sharing
• These players will vie for a spot on the A’s roster this spring
• Latest on A’s Impending Las Vegas Referendum

MLB News & Interest:

• Mariners Trade Robbie Ray To Giants For Mitch Haniger, Anthony DeSclafani
• Mariners Trade José Caballero To Rays For Luke Raley
• Cardinals Swap Richie Palacios To Rays For Andrew Kittredge
• Yankees Interested In Dylan Cease
• Michael Brantley To Retire
• Wander Franco Released On Bond, Required To Report To Court Monthly
• The best Shota Imanaga comparisons; latest on Wander Franco ($)

Best of X:

Bob Geren for Bob Melvin might be the A’s greatest 21st century trade.

And Schott/Hoffmann for Wolff/Fisher might be the worst.