By Lindsey Boyd (@lindsboyd3 ):
SAN JOSE — Bud Winter Field has been the track and field facility for San Jose State women’s track since 1968. But it is not just a practice facility or parking lot for San Jose State athletics. It’s also a parking lot for San Jose Giants baseball — and all of the parking money goes straight to the Giants.
When SJG fans pay $10 cash for regular game day parking and $15 on firework and promotion nights to park on SJSU’s track and field, not a penny goes to SJSU Athletics or to the track and field team, according to Tara Tallman, the Giants’ food and beverage supervisor.
“That money goes to the Giants,” Tallman said. “That is part of the agreement.”
SJSU baseball has an agreement to play games at Municipal Stadium in exchange for parking on Bud Winter Field. This agreement is contingent on allowing the Giants to collect all of the parking lot money on their game days.
As stated in the Municipal Stadium rental information, renting the outfield is regularly $5,000 while renting the field and batting practice is $8,000 for five hours.
And according to the most recent Nov. 12, 2013 lease renewal of San Jose Municipal Stadium, “Previously, no parking agreement existed at the site … a parking agreement will be useful for clarification and will help avoid conflicts. The proposed parking agreement is between the City, San Jose Giants (BAC) and Sharks Ice.”
As it stands in the lease renewal, 150 of Sharks Ice parking spots are given to the Giants and 200 spaces at the Central Service Yard. There is no mention of Bud Winter Field in the city’s lease.
Back in 2002, the website “Inside the Spartans” reported that it, “Looks like SJSU is going for “broke” with the football program, as it plans to turn the surrounding area around Spartan Stadium including Bud Winter Field’s dilapidated track into a parking lot for Spartan Stadium.”
SJSU Athletics does use Bud Winter Field as $20 CEFCU Stadium parking on 2017 game days. The field was already being used as a parking lot by the time the women’s track and field team started using it two years ago.
The field located on 579 E Alma Ave saw an ownership transfer to the State of California in 1948 and has a net assessed value of $0, according to the Santa Clara County Office of the Assessor.
Meanwhile, San Jose State has been playing baseball at Municipal Stadium since 1970, according to Kevin Reichard from BallParkDigest.com and will play there again this season.
