[Hendu Style]

Sam Arkwright Diary
July 21st, 2022

The call finally came last night, just as my jet was hitting its brief cruising altitude, bound for home. I know, I know... I could've just driven from LA to Boulder City. I promised myself I'd cut down on using the private jet for short distances, but I've been flying back and forth across the Pacific so much these days for the new Arkade launch. I don't want to get caught without a ride if I need an unscheduled flight to China. Turns out I didn't.

When the phone rang, I saw an unfamiliar 212 area code. New York. I waited a beat, and looked down at my in-flight GPS. The flight tracker showed my Gulfstream G800 as a little blip, just starting to go cross the Mojave Desert. I looked out my window. Pitch black. Perfect. I picked up the phone on the airplane WiFi. The caller identified himself as Paul Manfred. First thing he asked me was if I was recording the call. I told him no, and we exchanged pleasantries and talked about the All-Star Game, all the while looking at my GPS. Then... I started recording.

[Begin transcription, 9:47 pm Pacific, July 20th, 2022]

Manfred: ...and we're of course already starting to think about the next All-Star Game in Seattle. But this one will be tough to top.

Arkwright: Don't mean to be rude, Mr. Manfred, but if there's a point to this conversation, I would like to get to it soon. I'm on a plane and we're going to land in less than ten minutes...

Manfred: Sure thing. I know I ended our last conversation on a bit of a, well, cliffhanger. I asked you if you would like to buy the Oakland A's. Do you have an answer for me?

Arkwright: Last I checked, the team wasn't for sale. Is it?

Manfred: Not exactly. Not yet. (pause) Listen, we can't continue this conversation until I get an answer on that question. Yes or no? Would you like to buy the A's?

Arkwright: Yes.

Manfred: Great. That's what I hoped you would say. Okay, so here's the deal. We're a little concerned about where things are headed with Oakland right now. Despite what you may have been hearing, the current owner isn't exactly winning over the folks in Oakland, or Las Vegas, for that matter.

Arkwright: You're talking about John Fisher...

Manfred: Yeah -- Hey, sorry, I have to ask you again -- You're not recording this, are you?

Arkwright: No, I am not.

Manfred: Good. What I'm about to tell you absolutely has to stay between the two of us. Okay?

Arkwright: As long as this is all legal... it's OK with me.

Manfred: It is. Of course it is. I -- we -- are having reservations about John's ability to get a stadium. There is a serious trust deficit between him and the city of Oakland. Frankly, he's burned so many bridges there, we're just waiting for this Howard Terminal thing to blow up.

Arkwright: And how about Vegas?

Manfred: You've got ears. I'm sure you're hearing things. Las Vegas knows it's getting jerked around by this guy. They like the idea of having a Major League team, but I don't think they trust Fisher. They think he'll just end up keeping the team in Oakland.

Arkwright: And you want me to buy the team from him...

Manfred: Sam, I have to be honest with you. You weren't my first choice. You weren't even my second choice...

Arkwright: You really know how to flatter a guy, don't you?

Manfred: Look, you have to understand this is the Big Leagues. Some guys wait for decades for a chance like this, to get into this club. We had other people in mind, but we need someone who can move on this quick, and who's squeaky clean.

Arkwright: So that takes Steve Wynn and Larry Ellison out of the running...

Manfred: I see you've done your homework. Yeah, those guys are having some, uh, PR problems right now.

Arkwright: And if you're worried about image, you're probably crossing the Google guy's name off the list, too...

Manfred: Sharp. Very sharp. Yes, the last thing we want is a nasty divorce slowing things down. Like I said, we have to move quick.

Arkwright: Why not the Walmart lady?

Manfred: Nancy and Bud? To be perfectly blunt, we asked. They said no.

Arkwright: Really...

Manfred: They said they're out of the sports game. I made a pretty good pitch, and I thought I was close to getting Bud on board. But apparently they think one Walton buying a sports team is more than enough right now.

(Editor's note: Rob Walton, the oldest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton, had just finalized purchasing the NFL's Denver Broncos)

Arkwright: So I'm your last resort...

Manfred: You're the only one can pull this off, Sam. We know you have the capital to do it. Our investigators found no red flags...

Arkwright: Your investigators?

Manfred: You know how this works. We're extremely thorough. We don't need another Marge Schott or a Donald Sterling. You don't have to be a saint in this league, but you can't be the devil. The point is, I need someone who will pass with flying colors when this thing comes to a vote from the owners. And more importantly, I need someone who can help me convince John Fisher to sell his team.

Arkwright: And why the sudden urge to get this done now? What's the rush?

Manfred: There are 30 owners who want to expand Major League Baseball right now. When that happens, each of these owners is going to get a nice little chunk of change in expansion fees. But I've told them, we won't add any more teams until we get Oakland and Tampa Bay figured out.

Arkwright: And is Tampa Bay figured out?

Manfred: We're getting there. Let me worry about that. First Oakland, then Tampa. then expansion. You're the first domino. So, Sam... how would you like to buy the Oakland A's?

Arkwright: I'm in.

[End transcription]

It was an illuminating conversation, to say the least. Good thing I recorded it. I don't think much of Manfred as a Commissioner. Now I think even less of him as a lawyer. He probably knows California is a two-party consent state, which means I needed his consent to record the call. But once I was flying above Nevada, he should've also known I was in a one-party consent state.

No partying for me, though. This is far from a done deal, and I still have plenty on my plate already. The clock is ticking on our new Arkade console. Possible production problems in Shenzhen. And, oh by the way, I have a big meeting with the Red Rock League to talk about [redacted]. Before I get to all that, maybe I'll unwind by watching the A's doubleheader from earlier today. May as well start getting to know my new team...