MLB commissioner turns down San Jose's request for expansion team
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 10: Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred answers questions during an MLB owner's meeting at the Waldorf Astoria on February 10, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Manfred addressed the ongoing lockout of players, which ow
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred turned down a request from San Jose's mayor asking for the league to revoke territorial rights held by the San Francisco Giants and clear the way for an expansion team to one day come to the South Bay city.
Manfred sent an emailed response to Mayor Matt Mahan that read in part, "we are currently involved in a complicated relocation process with the Oakland A's. At least until that process is complete, we are not in a position to take any other action with respect to the territories in Northern California…"
Mahan said the Giants are the only team in the country that can prevent another team from coming to its region. The Giants were granted territory rights over 30 years ago, and he thinks it’s time to change that.
Mahan and a group of former San Jose mayors attempted to make steps to bring pro-baseball to the South Bay and sent a letter asking Manfred to remove the Giants' territorial rights.
"The Giants were granted these rights with the support of the A’s ownership when the Giants’ intention was to move to the South Bay. I think the A’s at the time, thought it made a lot of sense. The A’s would have the North Bay, the Giants would have the South Bay. That did not come to fruition, but the restriction remained in place," Mahan said.
The Giants have had territory rights since the early 1990s.
"It’s not what’s right, it’s not what’s fair. It’s not good for the fans or the league. So, we’re just using this opportunity of the A’s likely parting unfortunately, to revisit this question," Mahan said.
On Tuesday, Mahan wrote on Twitter in response to an SFGate article where they say he doubled down on his request for a major league team, touting his city as safer than neighbors to the north.
"Let me be very clear: I said I want the A's to stay in Oakland. I also said I want an expansion team to have the opportunity to chose San Jose as a hometown," he said.
He continued, "Promoting San Jose IS NOT deriding any other city. The simple truth is San Jose has less than half the property crime rate of other major Bay Area cities. We need to do even better, but celebrating our progress is not a criticism of any other city. Stories indicating otherwise are simply wrong."
But some Oakland A’s fans said they don’t support San Jose wanting to bring a pro baseball team to the city. They also think the focus should be on keeping the A's in the Bay Area.
"Even if you lift the territory rights, I don’t think San Jose would probably get an expansion team. So, we as a fan group, we are a little disappointed because it seems like everyone wants the Bay Area to thrive, but no one wants Oakland to thrive," said Jorge Leon, Co-founder of Oakland 68s, a fan group of the Oakland A's.