U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, D- Calif., penned a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, urging him to reconsider his direct involvement in the negotiations surrounding the potential relocation of the Oakland Athletics to Las Vegas.
Lee urged Manfred to keep the Athletics in the East Bay region in her June 5 letter detailing the importance of the team to the area.
"MLB's continued active encouragement of the A's abandonment of Oakland and the East Bay runs counter the rationale supporting MLB's century-old exemption from federal anti-trust law,” Lee said in the letter.
Lee and Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., introduced legislation that would require professional baseball club owners to compensate state and local authorities if they choose to relocate the team, according to a June 13 news release.
"This legislation will ensure that no city and community is left behind when billionaires decide that lining their own pockets is more important than the community that supports them," Lee said in the release.
In December, news outlets reported Manfred indicated the league's willingness to waive the estimated $300 million relocation fee for the Oakland Athletics, according to an NBC report June 4. However, subsequent details emerged, stating that the fee would only be waived if a $380 million public funding package from Nevada received approval.
On June 14, the package successfully passed by a vote of 25-15, according to an NBC story. This development suggests the Athletics' potential relocation to Las Vegas has taken a significant step forward, with the necessary funding now secured.
Lee emphasized the significant economic benefits and shared cultural identity the Athletics bring to the region, her letter noted. She said Oakland has been home to the team for more than five decades, and generations of Oaklanders have grown up supporting the Athletics.
The team's presence has not only provided numerous jobs but has also become an integral part of the local cultural fabric, inspiring music, fashion and a strong fan base, according to the letter.
Lee argued MLB's actions contradict the rationale behind its century-old exemption from federal anti-trust laws, her letter said. The exemption was intended to ensure MLB teams maintain strong relationships with their fan bases and prevent franchise relocations.
By actively supporting the Athletics' potential move out of the East Bay, MLB is reportedly undermining the fan-friendly nature of the exemption. In her letter, Lee urged Manfred to reconsider any efforts to subsidize or encourage the relocation. She reminded him of MLB's role in preserving the team's connection with its community and the significance of the exemption from anti-trust scrutiny.
