NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Matt Vasgersian is a prominent national broadcaster with a strong local focus.
As a studio host for MLB Network, the Moraga native closely followed the news of the Athletics’ move from Oakland to Las Vegas, even though his job involves covering all 30 teams from thousands of miles away. I’ve been following you specifically.
“The national perspective is about short-term issues, and people seem satisfied with this.” [relocation] In the long run. He’s probably more comfortable than I am,” Vasgersian said at the MLB Winter Meetings on Tuesday.
Vasgersian said the expected positive impression comes from the Raiders’ move from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020 and the success of the Vegas Golden Knights after NHL expansion in 2017, which led to this year’s Stanley Cup championship. pointed out.
“I think everyone can understand that Las Vegas is a fertile professional sports environment that can actively host all four of North America’s major sports,” he said. “I might be a little more skeptical about whether I support that idea.”
Oakland baseball fans were forced to understand Congress, public funding, acreage, referendums, stadium construction, and more as they tried to figure out what would happen next for their team. They are interested in the important “details” that can paint a picture, but are not always reflected in national media coverage.
“I don’t think they’re in the weeds,” Vasgersian said of the national perspective on the A’s relocation efforts. “I don’t think they’re really interested in being in the weeds of this story. It’s a can that’s been kicked in the street so many times that there was a bit of a ‘if you see it, you’ll believe it.’ “
John Morosi also covers national baseball for MLB Network, but has no direct connection to the Bay Area. He also sees this on a more educated and personal level than many people.
“There has to be empathy.” [for Oakland]We’re going to start from there,” Morosi said Monday at the MLB Winter Meetings. “And we all understand what it means to have a team and then lose a team.”
Morosi describes it as tracing the “overall contours” of Athletics Stadium’s history over the decades.
“I’m not familiar with every step of the process over the past 20 years, whether it’s Fremont or San Jose or any other location where parks were considered promising,” Morosi said.
But he can safely say we didn’t get to this place of controversy and confusion overnight.
“This cannot be the fault of any particular individual, group or government,” Morosi said. “Responsibility should be shared.”
Watch Brody Brazil’s full interview with Matt Vasgersian at the MLB Winter Meetings