Sale agreement OK’d by City Council may yield millions of dollars for immediate use plus 6% of future ticket sales

The Oakland City Council has approved a restructured $125 million agreement to sell the city’s remaining 50% stake in the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum complex, marking a major step forward in long-term redevelopment plans for the historic site.

The deal transfers ownership to the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) and its affiliate, Oakland Acquisition Company (OAC), and establishes a new strategic partnership with entertainment executive Irving Azoff’s Oak View Group (OVG). City officials described the agreement as a forward-looking move that balances immediate financial relief with long-term economic opportunity. 

Azoff, co-founder of OVG and a legendary figure in the global music and entertainment industries – joined Council President Kevin Jenkins, Councilmember Janani Ramachandran and Mayor Barbara Lee to announce City Council’s vote this week on the city’s agreement to sell the Oakland Coliseum.

The resolution, which passed 6-1 at the Monday council meeting, authorized the sale of Oakland’s 50% stake in the complex for a lump sum of $110 million plus 6% of all future annual gross ticket sales from events held at the redeveloped complex. Councilmember Noel Gallo cast the lone dissenting vote, citing concerns about his clarity on the position of Alameda County.

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The city will receive an additional $15 million ‘payment bonus’ as OAC obtains building permits for new construction, marking a major step forward in long-term redevelopment plans for the historic site.

The provision is designed to incentivize timely progress while aligning the city’s financial interests with project advancement.

Azoff is looking forward to bringing more music to Oakland. “Oakland is one of America’s great music cities – I spent some very special times earlier in my career working with Bill Graham on Day on the Green, and I have many fond memories of those days,” said Azoff. “We are honored to have the opportunity to become stewards of this iconic arena and build upon its
remarkable legacy. I look forward to once again bringing the very best artists
and events to Oakland and ensuring that the venue remains a source of pride for
the community for generations to come.”

“By approving this deal, we will ensure that the Coliseum complex is in the hands of dedicated professionals who will be committed to transforming this space into a world-class entertainment destination,” said Jenkins. “This will mean hundreds of new shows and events in Oakland annually, which will bring significant revenue into the city.”

Councilmember Carroll Fife (D-3) expressed appreciation for AASEG’s role in advancing a plan with community benefits. “With such a valuable asset underutilized for years, I’m glad to see the Coliseum positioned to serve an underserved and underdeveloped part of the city,” Fife said.

“This deal paves the pathway for a powerful economic revitalization in Oakland,” added Ramachandran. “I am excited for the new terms of the deal and additional stakeholders involved – including entertainment legend Irving Azoff. Not only does finalizing this deal save Oakland money and provide a significant one-time cash infusion but will also create a sustainable revenue stream that will help fund City services and uplift our economy.”

“My bottom line is always what’s best for Oaklanders and the City’s ability to serve them well — and this proposal is a step forward,” said Lee. “This deal will pave the way towards creating jobs and economic opportunities, specifically for east and deep east Oaklanders. Thank you to the city negotiating team for their hard work to bring this proposal forward.”

 AASEG has emphasized its commitment to community-centered development, with plans that include entertainment venues, housing, and commercial space to revitalize East Oakland. The involvement of OVG, known for its work on major sports and entertainment projects nationwide, adds industry expertise and credibility to the effort.

AASEG President Ray Bobbitt called the agreement “a great win for East Oakland” that will benefit the entire city.

The restructured deal could also release the city from its long-standing financial obligations tied to the Coliseum by January 2027. Oakland has historically subsidized the complex, which has operated at a loss of approximately $6 million annually.

The deal includes:

• Initial Cash Sale (Arena Parcel): The city will sell the Arena parcel to OAC, receiving $50 million by early 2027.
• Subsequent Sale (Stadium Parcel): The Stadium parcel will be sold for $60 million, which includes a credit for the $5 million deposit already held by the city.
• Ongoing Revenue Stream: The city will receive 6% of annual gross ticket sales from all events at both the Arena and Stadium, a new ongoing income stream to Oakland’s General Purpose Fund.
• Financial Terms: Payments will be made to the city on a prescribed schedule without lending any funds to OAC, and the city will be immediately relieved of significant financial liabilities associated with ownership and operations.

Additional information on the project is available at www.oaklandca.gov/Government/Departments/City-Administrator/Oakland-Coliseum-Redevelopment-Project?

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Those who closely follow Major League baseball often concede that their opinion on “who is better” can differ from Wins Above Replacement (WAR), Value-Based Rating (VBR) or other analytical statistics.

Armed with those numbers as of July 6, a dose of personal “eye tests,” and injury status, I give you my 2026 All-Star Break Top 10 Black MLB Players.

1. Chase Burns, Cincinnati Reds P — Starting pitching is baseball’s highest-priced commodity and Burns, a 2026 National League All-Star, is among MLB’s best. He sports a 10-1 record, has a stellar 2.40 ERA and is among league leaders with 97⅔ innings pitched. Add 116 strikeouts compared to just 31 walks and a chance to win 20 games. He’s top dog.
2. James Wood, Washington Nationals LF — Wood leads MLB in runs scored (77), walks (68), total bases (186), games played (90) and plate appearances (420). He’s durable and carries a .269 batting average, 23 home runs and 56 RBIs. It’s no wonder he made the NL All-Star team, and he should be a starter instead of a reserve.
3. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees RF — This is not a declaration of who is MLB’s best Black player. It’s Judge. But this is a snapshot of where we are at right now. Judge is injured with no return in sight. However, his numbers keep him on my list. In his 59 games played, Judge posted 17 home runs, 38 RBIs and a .238 batting average. He is still in the top five of all Yankees’ batting categories.
4. Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals RF — Named an All-Star for the first time, Walker’s breakout season has been the catalyst for his team’s surprising campaign. Walker is an All-Star based on his .292 batting average, 20 home runs and 67 RBIs. Opposing runners respect his arm and Walker also has 11 stolen bases.
5. Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins CF — When Buxton plays, he plays great. In 2026, he avoided injury until hip soreness sat him down for a few games. He quickly returned and remains at pace to easily top the most games played in any of his 11 MLB seasons (126 in 2025.) He is hitting .271 with 25 home runs and 45 RBIs. He could finish No. 1 at season’s end.
6. C.J. Abrams, Nationals SS — If he were a bit better defensively, he would likely be No. 1. Abrams leads the NL in RBIs with 61 and has socked 18 home runs with a .269 BA. Throw in 13 stolen bases and a dramatic reduction in strikeouts compared to the 2025 season when he went down via strikeout 125 times in 144 games. He is the NL starting shortstop in the All-Star Game.
7. Xavier Edwards, Miami Marlins 2B — Edwards’ .302 BA is a rarity in today’s game, and he is among MLB’s best second basemen defensively. He has six home runs and 35 RBIs and is invaluable to the surprising Marlins. He has walked 49 times in 91 games compared to 47 in 139 games last year. Add 13 stolen bases to his superb season.
8. Michael Harris II — Atlanta Braves CF — Harris is having his best MLB season by far. His center-field defense has saved the Braves runs repeatedly and his .301 BA is among league leaders. Harris has 16 home runs, 48 RBIs and 15 walks. He is easily on pace to top his career numbers in all three categories and is instrumental in the Braves’ run to the NL East summit.
9. Taj Bradley, Twins SP — Finally, another pitcher. Bradley is a dandy one, posting a 7-3 record in 16 starts with a respectable 3.86 ERA. The Twins are one of the AL’s offensively challenged teams and Bradley could have a few more wins if his team scored a few more runs. He has fanned 102 batters and walked just 38.
10. Mookie Betts, L.A. Dodgers SS — When I compile a similar list at season’s end, Betts will likely be much higher. A slow start and stint on the injured list kept his numbers down. Betts has heated up. He has 11 home runs and 29 RBIs, but three home runs and nine RBIs have come in the last 10 games. Betts smacked the 300th home run of his career on June 24 against the Twins and has 302 total.

The post Looking at my Top 10 Black MLB players list appeared first on St. Louis American.

Based on reporting by St. Louis American.

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With his 2026 Home Run Derby win, Jordan Walker silenced a sold-out Philadelphia crowd that believed Kyle Schwarber was finally about to claim the title on his third try.

With his parents watching from the stands, the St. Louis Cardinals outfielder delivered a walk-off blast to left field on his final swing Monday night, edging Schwarber 12–11 in Major League Baseball’s newest Derby format. The win makes Walker the first player in franchise history to take home the Derby crown.

“I can’t even describe how it means to win it,” Walker told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. “It was a lot of swings, a lot of pressure, but I think I just had fun no matter what. Every round I was having a good time.”

MLB introduced a revised structure this year: each of the eight contestants received 20 swings to hit as many home runs as possible. If the final swing left the yard, the hitter kept going until a ball stayed inside the park. Without a clock or bonus-round distance requirements, players could settle in and focus solely on making clean contact.

Boston Red Sox star Willson Contreras set the early bar with 13 home runs. Walker matched him, securing a spot in the semifinals. Kansas City’s Jac Caglianone (8) and Chicago’s Munetaka Murakami (9) fell short, while Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero advanced with 12. New York Yankees rookie Ben Rice hit seven.

Philadelphia’s hometown favorites — Schwarber and Bryce Harper — closed out the opening round. Schwarber hit 10 to move on. Harper managed eight and was eliminated.

The semifinal round shifted to 15 swings. Schwarber found his rhythm immediately, launching nine home runs to eliminate Contreras. Caminero pushed Walker in the other matchup, but the Cardinals outfielder advanced with a 6–5 win.

That set up the final the Philadelphia crowd wanted — and the finish they didn’t expect.

Schwarber hit 11 of his 15 swings over the fence, drawing roars from fans who believed the moment belonged to him. Walker opened with four homers, then climbed to 10 with one swing remaining. He needed perfection to win — and delivered six straight home runs to stun Citizens Bank Park.

Walker sealed the Derby with a 407-foot shot to left.

His win adds a new chapter to the Cardinals’ All-Star history. No player in team history had ever won the Home Run Derby — until now.

“I knew I was in a good position, but I know anything can happen, too,” Schwarber told Rogers. “And Jordan was unbelievable there … so you can’t say enough about how he was able to kind of slow the moment down and lock it in.”

Information from Espn.com contributed to this report.

The post St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker claims franchise’s first Home Run Derby crown appeared first on St. Louis American.

Based on reporting by St. Louis American.

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