Goodyear, Reds ready for next step

The city council in Goodyear, Ariz., will meet Monday to consider an exclusivity agreement with the Reds that would keep either side from negotating with anyone else for 90 days. The Reds would have to sign off on such an agreement, and they likely would.

Obviously, this would be a major step toward making Goodyear the new spring home of the Reds.

The Reds would be willing to enter such ageement because they're worried that other teams will try to work a deal with Goodyear.

Here's the release from Goodyear:

GOODYEAR, AZ – Goodyear’s City Council will meet in a Special Meeting at 6 p.m. ET, Monday, Jan. 28, to consider entering into a 90-day exclusivity agreement with the Cincinnati Reds. Should the City Council vote to approve the agreement, it would go into effect within a day or two, as soon as signatures are obtained by both parties.

The agreement calls for the Reds to immediately stop all negotiations for a future Spring Training facility with any other entity during the 90 days. It also stops Goodyear from seeking any other team to share its sports complex with the Cleveland Indians during that period.

The goal of having an exclusive agreement is to give both parties the necessary time to develop a long-term use agreement that is beneficial to both organizations from a timing and financial perspective.

During the Special Meeting, the Council may adjourn to an Executive Session to receive legal advice on this matter.