Watch this video on John Fisher and the Oakland A’s copying the Maloof brothers above or keep reading.
In my last video, I discussed why the Oakland A’s weren’t moving to Las Vegas. And what do you know, the team’s clueless leaders already pulled out of a binding agreement to purchase land in the city and instead want to build a new stadium where the Tropicana currently sits.
Ignoring the fact this plot is basically connected to Harry Reid International Airport which the FAA will be none too happy about for a second, the A’s are still asking for public money which is essentially seen as a non-starter.
But wait, what if I told you that John Fisher and friends only want US$395 million as opposed to the US$500 million required for the Red Rocks stadium? I’m sure the generous offer will be too good for Las Vegas to pass up.
Or maybe not. How exactly this is any better than that not-so-binding binding agreement is a total mystery. What has become clear is that John Fisher is the second coming of the Maloof Brothers.
Keep Reading: The Maloof Brothers once named their arena after a scam
John Fisher and the Oakland A’s learn from the Maloof Brothers failed relocation playbook
John Fisher and the Oakland A’s are 100 percent following the Maloof Brothers failed relocation playbook. Now, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Of course, arrogant, cheapskate owners who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths don’t comprehend that reality.
Anyway, the Maloof Brothers failed relocation playbook goes something like this:
Step 1: Make half-hearted attempts for a new stadium in your existing market
The Maloof Brothers did not want to use their own money on a stadium. They backed out of a plan they agreed to days after it was approved by the Sacramento City Council in 2012. By the way, that wasn’t even the first time they tried that trick. They loved to talk about a new arena but when it came time to put up or shut up, well, they didn’t make a peep.
John Fisher essentially did the same thing with the Howard Terminal stadium project. Progress was being made. Someone then told him, incorrectly I must add, that public money could be had in Las Vegas and he shut down negotiations with Oakland.
Step 2: Ruin the on-field product
During the late 2000s and early 2010s, the Maloof Brothers basically gutted the Sacramento Kings and ensured the franchise couldn’t be competitive. They spent years not signing anyone of note and getting fleeced in trades. They purposely made the team as bad as possible.
A little over a decade later, John Fisher did the exact same thing with the Oakland A’s. The play here is so blatantly obvious that even dumb-ass Tucker Carlson couldn’t concoct a conspiracy theory to cover for it. Fisher has blamed the stadium for his inability to field a quality team.
In reality, the hapless owner has simply swapped out the likes of Francisco Garica and Jason Thompson for Tony Kemp and Shintaro Fujinami.
Related: An honest Oakland Coliseum review
Step 3: Poorly thought-out moves
In 2011, the Maloof Brothers decided that they would move to Anaheim and play in the Honda Center despite the fact that the plan made absolutely no sense. Seriously, they wanted to be the third team in Southern California and play in a hockey venue that was built only a few years after Arco Arena. RIP Arco Arena.
Once people in Sacramento caught wind of the plan and applied critical thinking toward the Anaheim move, it didn’t really hold up. The city then stepped up with money and David Stern put the kibosh on relocation.
Similarly, John Fisher and the A’s simply decided they were going to Las Vegas with no real plan in place. At least not one that contained any semblance of logic. That was revealed when the franchise pulled out of a binding agreement to buy land in the city in favor of another site that similarly has no substance to it.
Step 4: Focus on revenge
Eventually, the Maloof Brothers became obsessed with sticking it to the city of Sacramento. Their goal wasn’t to move the team. It was to make sure Sacramento didn’t have an NBA team. It’s why they floated the absurd Virginia Beach move and tried to sell the team to Chris Hansen, who wanted to move it to Seattle.
Despite moving the goalposts several times during the potential Seattle sale, everyone saw through these shenanigans. Hell, David Stern probably would have let the Kings be sold and relocated had the Maloof Brothers not clearly been acting out of spite. See Bennet, Clay.
John Fisher hasn’t quite entered this part of the plan with the Oakland A’s, but we are getting close. Las Vegas isn’t floating the team public money to build a stadium. And given the fact Fisher and Dave Kaval can’t even get a freaking plan together to present, it seems highly unlikely that the Tropicana site is going to work out.
Besides, why would anyone want to partner with these morons? They have screwed Oakland, backed out of a binding agreement with one Las Vegas land owner and are comically untrustworthy. Tim Curry is definitely playing Dave Kaval in the movie adaptation of this saga.
John Fisher and the Maloof Brothers: Silver spoon failures
It is important to note that both John Fisher and the Maloof Brothers’ wealth came from their families. Fisher’s daddy founded Gap and he raked in the rewards of being a kid born with a silver spoon in his mouth. The Maloofs did kind of build on the empire their father had launched as a beer distributed in New Mexico. Their crappy local casino in North Las Vegas was profitable and they sold that to invest in The Palms.
Of course, they would go on to squander all their money by the time the 2010s rolled around. But hey, they were in a David Banner music video with Barry Bonds, so that’s something. Let’s be real, though. Neither John Fisher nor the Maloof Brothers would have been able to own sports teams without their family’s money.
Do something, Rob Manfred
I know Rob Manfred isn’t a strong leader but even he has to see the nonsense that’s unfolding here. Do something, dude. At least David Stern managed the Kings situation and gave all parties a fair shake. That’s fairly remarkable given how many shady things he did over the years as NBA Commissioner.
Seriously, all Manfred has to do is step in and say something. Anything. And if not him, then the other owners. In 1992, the National League owners narrowly rejected attempts by the San Francisco Giants to move to Tampa Bay. A decision that has aged like a fine wine. Then owner Bob Lurie was forced to sell and the rest, as they say, is history.
As we saw with the Maloof Brothers and Lurie, Oakland needs the chance to find local owners who will keep the team in the city. Because when you have owners who want a team to stay, they will find a way to get a stadium deal done.
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