MLB Commissioner Bud Selig told the AP on Thursday that the Oakland A's and the Tampa Bay Rays need new ballparks to compete.
The A's ballpark, the Oakland Coliseum, was built in 1966, much older than the Ray's ballpark, Tropicana Field built in 1990.
Among the comments that Selig made, he talked about the territorial dispute between the A's and the San Francisco Giants. The A's would like to build ballpark in San Jose, however, the Giants are unwilling to give up their rights to that area.
"I'm always hopeful when there are debates amongst clubs, I try to lead teams in a direction of solving their problems themselves,'' Selig said.
Selig added that "time will tell" if a solution could be made between the Giants and the A's.
Fans in Oakland want to keep the team in the city, but the team has consistently been in the bottom of the league in attendance. Part of the reason or this is the old ball park, while the team's poor on-field performance has contributed to the low numbers.
The Rays have had several attempts for a new ballpark, including an abandoned project in 2007 for a field with a retractable roof.
"They need a new ballpark, there's no question,'' Selig said about the Rays. "I talked a lot to Stu Sternberg and he's talking to people. He and I have had many conversations, and we'll just monitor the situation. He's doing what he should do. He's there, he's talking to all parties trying to see what he can do."
The A's and Rays are two of only five teams in baseball that have not opened a new ballpark since 1989. The three other teams have historic ball parks including the Boston Red Sox 100-year old Fenway Park, the Chicago Cubs Wrigley Stadium, and the Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium.
