A's President Dave Kaval: Team close to gaining Coliseum use; short season 'makes sense'; stadium update

Dave Kaval, the A's president, broke months of silence by the team's top executives Thursday to discuss the possibility of getting baseball under way with a greatly reduced schedule.

In an exclusive interview with The Chronicle, Kaval also updated the status of the A's rent issue. The yearly $1.25 million payment, due April 1, is on hold because of a clause in the lease that allows for deferral if the building is not available for use - but Kaval told The Chronicle that the team is working with Alameda County to open the Coliseum safely, and approval may come as soon as Monday.

"We're way down the line with that," Kaval said.

Kaval said the A's submitted a 67-page protocol to the Alameda County Health Department and received feedback on it Wednesday. "It's really, really important we have a path to open the Coliseum and operate it in a safe way with these revised protocols: social distancing, a limited number of people, different tiers depending on whether they're players or support staff or security," Kaval said, adding of the county, "I think they were impressed with the scope and how it was put together. ... We're going to make sure we're going to adhere to (county) guidelines because they're the authority on business operating in this environment."

The A's are in discussions with the Joint Powers Agency that governs the Coliseum. If and when the team gets approval to work out there, it will make its rent payment.

"Being able to use the facility is obviously very critical," Kaval said. "We've been adhering to the provisions of the lease, which specifically state the payment is due when you can actually use it. ... Hopefully, we can get in there and start training; some other teams already have been doing that and we haven't been able to."

There is likely to be a rent reduction, Kaval told The Chronicle, if there is a shortened season or no season. "The current agreement is on a per-game basis," he said. "You pay the full amount and then there is adjustment based on how many games you play."

Kaval said the A's recognize that the JPA has financial obligations now, so they're trying to be flexible. "It's been very collaborative and very positive," he said. "We're all just working together to bring baseball back.

"It's no different from the conversations we're having with players. We have multiple crises with the pandemic, the economic insecurity and the racial injustice; all this happening at one time can be overwhelming. If we can get back on the diamond, we can be part of the healing and we're very motivated to do that."

The owners and the MLB Players Association haven't been able to come to an agreement, however. MLB turned down the union's proposed 114-game schedule this week, and the players and owners haven't been able to agree on players' compensation for an abbreviated season.

Lost revenue after nearly three months of inactivity led owner John Fisher to furlough more than half the team's full-time employees and to halt $400-a-week payments to the A's minor-leaguers last week; several other clubs have instituted layoffs and furloughs, but Oakland is the only one to end minor-league stipends. Many teams released dozens of players instead. The A's players continue to receive benefits.

"With the pandemic and the economic crisis and the uncertainty about the season, we had to make some really difficult decisions as an organization and we really feel for everyone who's been affected by that," Kaval said. "Just getting the season back and potentially bringing people back is what we're working on now."

Kaval is in favor of a greatly reduced schedule, largely because experts suggest there's a good chance there will be a new round of coronavirus infections in the late fall and early winter.

"I think the shorter season makes a lot of sense, making sure we can wrap up the season by October - maybe 50 games and then the postseason, especially if there are concerns about a second wave," Kaval said, noting that some college football teams have considered an earlier start for the same reason. "That could make sense for dealing with some of the challenges of COVID, and playing in a way that's safe for players, employees, everyone involved."

The A's have many reasons to want to get the season under way, beyond just revenue. Oakland has won 97 games each of the past two seasons and anticipated contending again this year with a strong young core and a promising rotation.

"This was always a year we've always been super excited about because there was a lot of learning the past two years with getting to the playoffs and not advancing the way we wanted," Kaval said. "We want our shot."

As team president, Kaval's primary focus is on the A's stadium pursuit, which also has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic; The Chronicle's Scott Ostler reported last week that with much of local government shut down, the timeline to open a new ballpark might be pushed beyond 2023. Kaval, however, said the focus remains the Howard Terminal site, despite potential logistical and financial hurdles that might be deepened by the pandemic.

"The timing of those things aren't known right now because everything is still in flux but I want to be clear with people: We are making real, discernible progress," Kaval said. "Things might not be as visible, but it's important for people to know we're moving forward with our waterfront ballpark. We are excited about it."

The team rejiggered its to-do list, concentrating on working toward all possible OKs that don't require public hearings, including one meeting Thursday with the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission.

"Right now, we're just focused on taking it quarter by quarter and seeing how much progress we can make," Kaval said, emphasizing that the team understands the A's are not Oakland's top priority at the moment, a major reason club executives haven't spoken publicly during baseball's shutdown. "We are not at the top of the list because there are more pressing issues, and we want to be respectful of that as we garner the necessary approvals to move forward."