NBC SPORTS BAY AREA, NBC SPORTS CALIFORNIA, OAKLAND A'S AND SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS INTRODUCE ‘THE BRIDGE' TROPHY

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Winner of Annual Bay Bridge Series to Be Awarded The Bridge Trophy

Trophy Constructed with Steel Salvaged from the Original East Span

of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – March 26, 2018 – NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California (@NBCSAuthentic) – “Home of Authentic Bay Area Sports” – and Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics (@Athletics) and San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) today unveiled The Bridge – the official trophy to be presented to the winner of the regular-season Bay Bridge Series.  The Bridge is made with steel salvaged from the original East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

Starting with the 2018 MLB season, the A’s and Giants will play for The Bridge trophy during their annual Bay Bridge Series.  The A’s and Giants meet for the first time this season on July 13-15 for a weekend series at AT&T Park. The series continues on July 20-22 after the All-Star Break with three games at the Oakland Coliseum.

Since the commencement of interleague play in 1997, the A’s lead the Giants 59-55 in their head-to-head regular-season matchups. 

Rules:

  • The Bridge will be awarded to the team that wins more games in the regular-season Bay Bridge Series.
  • If the series finishes tied, the winner of the final game shall win The Bridge.
  • If one or more games is postponed and the series has not yet been clinched, The Bridge will not be awarded until the postponed game(s) can be made up. If the postponed game(s) can not be made up, the standing of the series at the end of the season shall determine the winner of The Bridge. Whether or not postponed games are made up, if the series ends in a tie, the team that wins the final game will be awarded The Bridge.

 

As soon as the Bay Bridge Series is clinched by either the A’s or Giants, The Bridge will be awarded to the winning team. If The Bridge is won by the home team, the trophy will be awarded on the field immediately following the clinching game. If The Bridge is clinched by the visiting team, the trophy will be awarded in the visitor’s clubhouse shortly following the clinching game.

“The Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants fans are among the most devoted and passionate fans in Major League Baseball,” said Tom Stathakes, Senior Vice President and General Manager of NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California.  “In addition to the spirited bragging rights among the fans, The Bridge will elevate the friendly cross-bay rivalry and raise the stakes during the teams’ annual Bay Bridge Series.”

“The Bay Bridge series has always been exciting for our fans,” said A’s President Dave Kaval. “What better way to enhance the friendly rivalry with our cross-town neighbors than with The Bridge trophy uniquely made from steel from the original San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge? We’re excited to claim bragging rights in the Bay and hoist the trophy up at the Coliseum.”

“I can not think of a better symbol of our cross-bay rivalry than a trophy fabricated from the steel of the original San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge,” said Giants President & CEO Larry Baer.  "The Giants-A's interleague games are always great fun for our fans and we are excited to get this season underway. We look forward to proudly displaying The Bridge at AT&T Park.”

The design and construction of The Bridge is a collaborative effort by Scientific Art Studio – whose work includes two popular features inside AT&T Park’s Fan Lot, the Giant Glove and Coca-Cola Bottle Slide – and The Crucible, an Oakland-based industrial arts school.

The Bridge is comprised of four components, several of which are interchangeable: a bronze Oakland Athletics logo, a bronze San Francisco Giants logo and a bronze baseball with an engraved “Bay Bridge Series” logo.  They are attached to a T-base with a horizontal foundation in the form of a Bay Bridge bottom chord (or horizontal support beam) and an upright section, with an NBC Sports logo, derived from a vertical member of the old Bay Bridge truss.  Winners of the Bay Bridge Series will be engraved on a plate attached to the side of the trophy.  Each year, the arrangement of the trophy components depends on the outcome of the Bay Bridge Series.  Should the A’s win the series, the A’s logo will be mounted on top of the trophy.  Should the Giants win the series, the Giants logo will mounted on top of the trophy.  Construction of The Bridge trophy is expected to be completed in June. The trophy will be approximately 18 inches tall and weigh approximately 30 lbs.

Additionally, Scientific Art Studio and The Crucible paid homage to the legendary Bay Bridge Troll by including its figure on The Bridge trophy.  In 1989, ironworkers repairing damage from the Loma-Prieta earthquake to the Bay Bridge’s East Span welded an 18-inch steel troll figure on the bridge for symbolic protection from future disasters.

The Toll Bridge Program Oversight Committee (TBPOC) – made up of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA), and the California Transportation Commission (CTC) – provided steel salvaged from the original East Span of the Bay Bridge for the construction of The Bridge.  Completed in 1936, the original Bay Bridge – which included a two-mile-long steel cantilever East Span – crossed the Oakland and San Francisco city limit line and carried more than 4 billion passengers over 77 years.  After completion of a new East Span, demolition of the bridge structure was completed in April 2017.

“All of us at Caltrans are very excited to help take part in this project,” said Caltrans Director Laurie Berman. “The steel from the old Bay Bridge will live on in a trophy that is sure to become a vital part of Bay Area sports culture.”

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About NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports California:

NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California, both part of NBC Sports Regional Networks, serve more than four million households in Northern California, Nevada, Southern Oregon and Hawaii.  NBC Sports Bay Area, the television home of MLB’s San Francisco Giants, NBA’s Golden State Warriors, and the official regional sports network of the San Francisco 49ers, also features a robust lineup of Emmy Award-winning news, analysis and original programming. NBC Sports California offers live coverage of MLB’s Oakland Athletics, NBA’s Sacramento Kings, NHL’s San Jose Sharks, MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes and is the official regional sports network of the Oakland Raiders. Collectively, these networks deliver more than 600 live game broadcasts per year.  NBCSportsBayArea.com and NBCSportsCalifornia.com provide fans with comprehensive digital coverage of the hometown teams with original stories and content from a team of “Insiders,” breaking news, up-to-the-minute game previews/recaps, highlights and multimedia video clips.  Follow both networks on social media –Twitter: @NBCSAuthentic; Instagram: NBCSAuthentic; Snapchat: NBCSAuthentic; and Facebook: facebook.com/NBCSAuthentic.

 

About the Oakland A’s:

We have always been innovators. Since our founding in 1901, the Athletics franchise has pushed the boundaries of our club and our sport in a relentless pursuit of victory. Our nine World Series titles and 15 American League Pennants make us one of the most storied clubs in Major League Baseball. We take great pride in the achievements of our past, and we view them as a challenge to push ourselves further. As our club moves into a new chapter in Oakland, we are committed to creating winning experiences that encompass the many aspects of our game and our community. For more information, visit athletics.com.

About the San Francisco Giants:

One of the oldest teams in Major League Baseball, the 136-year old franchise moved to San Francisco from New York in 1958.  2018 marks the Giants 60th year in San Francisco and will be celebrated with events throughout the season to commemorate this diamond anniversary.  After playing a total of 42 years in Seals Stadium and Candlestick Park, the team moved to the privately constructed AT&T Park in 2000.  The organization is widely recognized for its innovative business practices and baseball excellence.  In 2010, the franchise was named the Sports Organization of the Year by Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal and in 2010 was named Organization of the Year by Baseball America.

Since opening its gates, AT&T Park has become internationally-renowned as a premier venue in the world of both sports and entertainment.  On the diamond, more than 56 million spectators have witnessed a number of magical moments, including three World Series Championships (2010, 2012 & 2014), the raising of four National League Pennants and seven playoff appearances.  On June 13, 2012, the organization’s first-ever Perfect Game was thrown by Giants ace Matt Cain.  On July 10, 2007 AT&T Park was the center of the baseball universe when it hosted the 78th Major League Baseball All-Star Game.  AT&T Park has also played host to some of music’s biggest acts, including Lady Gaga, Beyoncé & Jay Z, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, Green Day and Billy Joel.

Off the field, the Giants have one of the premier community outreach programs in professional sports.  Through its community outreach programs, the Giants and the Giants Community Fund work with corporate and non-profit partners to raise awareness, educate and generate interest in a variety of issues important to both their fans and community.  These issues include education/literacy, violence prevention, health and youth recreation and fitness. The Giants Community Fund’s Junior Giants Baseball Program received the 2015 Commissioner’s Award for Philanthropic Excellence, and the San Francisco Giants were named ESPN Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year in July of 2016.

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