Oakland A's headed to Las Vegas

You rarely see a non-league team win further along in the FA Cup because that's where the Premier League teams enter. It isn't the Indiana high school basketball tournament, where everyone's starting from the same spot.

 

That's disgraceful.

3:07 in the era of the pitch clock.
(Hi, BYH!)

 

When you let everyone in the lower deck have a turn at bat, things drag a little.

 

Football League (professional) teams enter at the first round in November, which is preceded by as many as six qualifying rounds. Premier League and Championship (so, the top 44 teams) enter at round 3, played on the first weekend in January. Non-league and lower-league clubs can and do make runs -- there were four teams from outside the top four tiers in the third round this year. Maidstone United became the first team from the sixth tier to reach the fifth round (round of 16) since 1978.

The problem with cup competitions in the 21st century, both there and here, is they are effort expended without much revenue generated. In England, the FA Cup's prestige has insulated it from some, but not all of that greed. In the US, MLS refused to allow most of its teams to field their A squads because of complaints that they have too many games with their league schedule plus the USA-Mexico Leagues Cup that is expressly designed to generate revenue out of the Mexican market. A home game or a road trip against a USL side or some glorified pub team lowers stamina, increases injuries and makes them minimal money. For me, the most annoying thing is that it plays right into the hands of the by far most annoying part of the American soccer fanbase, the "prorelots" (term mine) who believe that US Soccer and MLS are engaged in a conspiracy that is against FIFA rules and/or the law to keep non-MLS clubs out of the big time.

Sorry if you knew all that -- I can never remember who the regulars in the soccer thread are.

 

The only paydays for small clubs in the FA Cup happen when a minnow gets a home tie against a PL or CL side, or if the match at the big ground is drawn, which requires a replay at the opposite tiny ground.

 

Oakland Ballers (or, if you prefer, the B's) expecting sellout for home opener in 4,000-seat stadium in West Oakland vs. fellow Pioneer League expansion team Yolo High Wheelers tonight.

 

I never played at Raimondi Park, but just looked it up on Maps. It's actually 1 1/5 miles from where the Oakland Oaks played in Emeryville (now part of Pixar Studios). I do love that Pro Bail Bonds is just past the left-field fence!

 

Raimondi Park looks fantastic. So awesome that the Ballers will outdraw the A's.

 

The Oakland Bathetics?

 

Talked to an A's scout this past Saturday. He's convinced they'd stay in Sacramento if a suitable ballpark could be built.

 

Well yeah, I'm sure they'd go anyplace that would build them "a suitable ballpark," but remember now that definition also includes the "ballpark district" of extractive development around the park: bars, restaurants, retail, residential and parking. The baseball stadium itself is only part of it.

 

No doubt they're talking about special event games, like games in Tokyo, Mexico City and London, but eight dates? Way to rally the taxpayers to your side!

https://thenevadaindependent.com/ar...s-could-undercut-stadium-finances-by-millions