MLB Giants Will Bring Players, Coaches To San Jose To Court Fans

The MLB Giants Thursday as part of the team's FanFest will make a "highly unusual" trip to San Jose with "more than two dozen players, coaches and others," according to John Ryan of the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS. The trip "came about for a few reasons," including ticket sales and territorial rights. As the A's planned Cisco Field in Fremont, California, "stalls, San Jose talk has kicked up again." So the trip to San Jose "could be seen as the Giants actively exercising their claim to Santa Clara County." Also, Giants Managing General Partner Bill Neukom "has been more active with the Santa Clara County market than his predecessor, Peter Magowan." Another reason for the trip is that the Giants "have two notable new TV Partnerships." The team owns a stake in Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, and last year was the team's first season on San Jose-based KNTV-NBC (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/4).