Elephant Rumblings: A’s defer April rent payment on Coliseum

Good morning, Athletics Nation!

The big news on Tuesday involved the Oakland A’s and their stadium. David DeBolt of the Mercury News first reported that the team has refused to make its annual $1.2 million rent payment on the Coliseum, which was due on April 1. In a follow-up, the S.F. Chronicle clarified that the A’s are merely deferring the payment, not skipping it altogether.

The team is yet to comment publicly on the situation, but they did send a letter to the Coliseum Authority on March 31 explaining their stance (via Susan Slusser, S.F. Chronicle). They claimed that the stadium was not available for their use, between government bans on large gatherings (both county and state level) and the possibility of using the ballpark as an overflow site for coronavirus patients if hospitals were overrun. They then cite a force majeure provision in the rental agreement that gives them the right to defer payment, precisely as they have done.

For what it’s worth, Slusser retweeted a person who identified himself as a real estate attorney, and who agreed it “seems like a good argument to me.”

The Coliseum Authority initially told a different tale. They originally alleged that the A’s stance was that they had “no ability to pay” due to an inability to generate revenue at the stadium, but they later backtracked and clarified that the team “never said they didn’t have the money” (via Slusser). One board member accused the A’s of using the pandemic as an excuse not to pay, saying the team is “full of it.”

A’s Coverage:

• DeBolt: Oakland A’s haven’t made rent payment, Coliseum exec says
• Slusser, Matier, and Kawahara: $1.2 million rent dispute erupts between A’s and Oakland Coliseum landlords
• Hickey: Athletics Defer Rental Payment; Coliseum Authority Cries Foul
• Hickey: Is the Coliseum Ready if Athletics and MLB Get Going With Spring Training in June?
• Simon: ‘Moneyball’ Draft still paying off for A’s
• Hall: Top 10 starts in Oakland A’s history

MLB News & Interest:

• Sherman: MLB, union wage war after potential smoking-gun email emerges
• Rome: Astros’ Alex Bregman parts ways with agent ($$$)
• Todd (roundup): Alex Bregman Seeking New Representation
• Chesterton: A 17-year-old girl struck out Ruth and Gehrig
• Castrovince: These are the 25 best team nicknames of all time
• MLB video: Watch 44 more epic half-innings
• Adams: An Unpopular Trade Paying Off In Seattle
• Today in Baseball History

Best of Twitter:

Not gonna lie, I’d expect a group of a few dozen billionaires to be better at writing contracts. This is a massive unforced error they’re trying to correct, and it’s hard to have sympathy for them.

Not a surprise, but a sad reminder of the current state of affairs

Jake Diekman for a good cause

Boyd also recorded an excellent Steph Curry track a few years ago

No I didn’t wonder, but I have a feeling you’re gonna remind me anyway.