Econ time

It's been a quiet couple of weeks on the A's ballpark front. That doesn't mean there hasn't been news elsewhere. The good news as that MLB's economic status isn't as bad as originally feared, and there's even a chance of eclipsing the $6 billion revenue threshold (first done in 2007). Bad news? Owners tabled the long overdue broadcast territory discussion. Plenty more on this and other topics at The Biz of Baseball.

Bond ratings agencies have given the Marlins ballpark plan a proverbial thumbs up, assigning medium investment grade ratings of varying stripes to the different financing types that will cover the plan. Meanwhile, bonds for Citi Field are in danger of being downgraded to junk status. Both projects may still end up with similar respective interest rates despite the ratings gap.

The "Is Yankee Stadium a bandbox?" question has been tackled by more than just the sports media. The issue was front and center on NPR's Talk of the Nation/Science Friday two weeks ago.

Matier & Ross report that erstwhile SF Mayor Gavin Newsom is sticking to his pledge of $100 million for a 49ers stadium at Hunters Point, and not a penny more. Personally, I'd love to be Carmen Policy at this point, getting paid by the City to do - what is it that he does?

Don Perata was officially cleared in his federal corruption investigation. There's no better way to celebrate than to run for Mayor of Oakland, I suppose.

In case you're wondering, I figure the MLB committee report ("blue ribbon" is a misnomer) will be released sometime around the All Star Break.