Oakland Athletics Lose Naming Rights Sponsorship
Overstock.com has exercised its option to exit its stadium naming-rights partnership with the Oakland Athletics, leaving the franchise without such a partner, and the accompanying revenue, for the time being.
While Overstock.com will continue to be a sponsor of the A’s on a corporate advertising level, the loss of a naming-rights sponsorship means that the team’s half of the six-year, $7.2 million dollar contract is gone. Alameda County and the city of Oakland split the other half of the revenue.
While $3.6 million over a six-year period is chump change in the world of Major League Baseball, this season will represent the second time in the last decade that the stadium has been without a naming-rights sponsor. The Oakland Coliseum was without such a sponsor from 2008-11 as well, after the security software company McAfee opted not to renew its contract.
In comparison to other MLB franchises, it might be more of a challenge for Oakland to secure another naming rights sponsor. The Coliseum’s issues are well known.
The stadium has three major criticisms against it when it comes to baseball – the National Football League’s Oakland Raiders also play their home games at The Coliseum – which is part of the problem.
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In 1996 the late owner of the Raiders added a seating feature which has been unaffectionately named “Mount Davis.” Ballpark attendees have criticized the addition because it blocks the view of the hills surrounding the stadium. The grade and spacing of the seating area were such that the A’s didn’t sell tickets for that area for the first seven years after its completion.
The team itself isn’t enamored with the venue, either. In the majority of A’s games, most of the third deck is covered by a tarp, reducing the capacity of the stadium drastically. While the team has argued that the third deck of seats aren’t necessary because most games aren’t anywhere near sell-outs and cloistering fans creates a better experience, they have drawn criticisms due to this choice.
Critics have stated that the franchise’s actions are a coordinated effort to seek leverage for moving the team, and there has been some activity on this front. The City of San Jose sued MLB for violating federal antitrust laws, alleging that MLB was blocking a potential move to the city by the A’s. Appeals of the case went all the way up to the federal district level, with MLB winning the suit.
Perhaps the least attractive issue with the stadium has been frequent appearances of sewage. Part of the issue is due to the elevation of the stadium, which is below sea level.
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The A’s might have a hard time finding a naming rights sponsor for a stadium that has functional issues and the team itself doesn’t want to be in. The bright side, however, is that the loss isn’t significant in terms of lost revenue. The Oakland Coliseum isn’t a bad name for a stadium, and that could be considered a win for the franchise.