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I'm watching the Padres Social Hour videos, capturing quotes and commenting here and there. Here's part one, part two is as follows:
Fans want to remove their commemorative bricks if the plaza is named after Bud Selig
"The bricks will not be touched. The Palm Court, as it's known, is remaining intact, nor will it be part of the Bud Selig Plaza. The Plaza area is actually outside the Western Metal Building, just inside the Gaslamp Gate, on K Street, the lower elevation there. So if you have a brick in there, not only will your brick be untouched, but it will not be in the Bud Selig Plaza, the Hall of Fame plaza. Sot that was an easy one."
Dee then exclaims that he wants a tougher question. "Give me a tough one! Give me the worst one!"
Was the plaza naming a bribe to bring the All-Star Game to San Diego?
"We'll see. This was a decision and a thank you more than a 'Here's a plaza, we want an All-Star Game.' That wasn't the deal or any thinking behind it. This was a recognition of what this man has stood for, for baseball and for baseball in San Diego.
I do believe the relationship that we worked hard to develop with him and others in Major League Baseball over the course of the last 24 months, for Ron and Peter, and 12 months in my case, should bode well for our chances of getting an All-Star Game. We've been banging down the door since I arrived a year ago."
Dee then goes on to say that the Commissioner commented that an All-Star Game will be awarded before he leaves his post and that San Diego fans should feel good about it.
"We've made it very clear that this was a commitment that was made when Petco Park was opened and that fans in San Diego deserve an All-Star Game in this ballpark."
Was anyone with stronger Padres ties considered when naming the plaza?
Dee assures fans that only the plaza, outside on the concourse, will be named after Selig and not the actual Hall of Fame. It'll be home to future monuments they might construct and will be an area where Hall of Famers who spent time with the Padres, but not the bulk of their career will be celebrated. That's why they feel Selig is appropriate.
The Hall of Fame will not have a name. It's going to be the Padres Hall of Fame.
Does Dee and the organization regret its decision and would they change it due to fan response?
"We're always sensitive to the fan's point of view. Suggestions@Padres.com is always open, we don't need to remind people of that address today. Absolutely no regrets. This was the right thing to do.
Again this is an individual who had as much to do with keeping baseball here in San Diego for not just for this generation, but generations to come as anybody did. His steadfast resolve should be commemorated, appreciated and celebrated and we stand by this decision.
We also hope that over time that fans also come to realize and to understand the role that he played here in San Diego, because again, it was an enormous part of our history."
He says he regrets not giving fans information in advance as to why they were doing it. They can be more proactive in the future, but they completely stand behind what they did. I'm just glad that he explained to us in detail what Selig did so that we as fans can come to realize his enormous role.
What about Selig's involvement with the ballpark went above and beyond what we'd expect of a commissioner and would warrant #BSplaza?
— Gaslamp Ball (@gaslampball) August 29, 2014
How do you fix the disconnect between fans and the Front Office?
Being proactive with communication will solve the problem.
We'll continue to do everything we can to earn fan trust.
He recognizes that they won't always be 100% right. I agree with this, sometimes they'll be just 3% right and even then they won't admit they were wrong.