Dutch club AZ hires Oakland A's GM Billy Beane as advisor

Dutch club AZ Alkmaar has hired Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane as an advisor, the club announced Tuesday.

SI Wire | Mar 17, 2015

Dutch club AZ hires Oakland A's GM Billy Beane as advisor /

Dutch club AZ Alkmaar has hired Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane as an advisor, the club announced Tuesday.

Beane will provide “advice in the areas of high performance and innovation,” AZ said.

“We’ve had a lot of contact with Billy In the last few months,” AZ’s Dutch-American Director of Soccer, Earnie Stewart, said in a statement. “His knowledge and ideas are impressive. Also Billy’s soccer network is excellent. We have already noticed that Billy thinks two steps ahead in the area of innovation. That’s what really connects with the ambitions of AZ.”

• MLS in 'advanced discussions' with Minnesota United

Beane's "Moneyball" approach helped the Athletics achieve consistent success despite having a small budget. Beane's ability to find undervalued players helped the small-market A's compete with teams in America's largest cities. AZ's home city is the third-smallest of any club currently in the Eredivisie.

"I am truly excited for the opportunity to be part of AZ Alkmaar in an advisory role," Beane said in a statement. "Despite being a great football club with a storied history, they face many of the challenges we have with the Oakland A’s. My love for football and AZ’s vision of the future of the club made this an attractive pursuit."

GALLERY: Soccer in baseball stadiums

Soccer at Baseball Stadiums

The U.S. women's national team played New Zealand in a pre-World Cup friendly at St. Louis's Busch Stadium on April 4, 2015.

New York City FC kicked off its Yankee Stadium era Sunday evening with a 2-0 victory over the New England Revolution. The MLS expansion club will play at the famed baseball venue for the foreseeable future, as it continues its quest to land a soccer-specific stadium in the Big Apple. But it’s not the first team to play soccer in Yankee Stadium–new or old–and it’s just the latest instance of soccer being played on Major League Baseball fields. Here are some instances throughout the years.

New York City FC takes on the New England Revolution during the club's inaugural game at Yankee Stadium on March 15, 2015.

Yankee Stadium set up for soccer on July 30, 2014.

Before the club's rebrand to Sporting Kansas City, the Kansas City Wizards played the 2008-2010 seasons at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, the everyday home of the minor league Kansas City T-Bones.

Liverpool played AS Roma at Fenway on July 23, 2014.

Liverpool played AS Roma at Fenway on July 23, 2014.

A Chelsea-Manchester City friendly match in 2013 at Busch Stadium.

Argentina played Bosnia-Herzegovina during the international friendly match at Busch Stadium on November 18, 2013.

Brazil played Chile at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Nov. 19, 2013.

The Brazil team on the field before playing Chile at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Nov. 19, 2013.

Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees tosses the coin before the International Friendly match between Real Madrid and AC Milan at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 8, 2012.

Real Madrid played AC Milan at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 8, 2012.

A.C. Roma played Zaglebie Lubin at Wrigley Field on July 22, 1012.

Ecuador played Greece at Citi Field on June 7, 2011.

Juventus FC played Club America at Citi Field on July 26, 2011.

Michael Ivins/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

Mike Cameron of the Boston Red Sox on the field at Fenway before the start of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 20, 2010. An image of a soccer ball was mowed into the center field grass to promote a match between Scottish club Celtic FC and Portuguese club Sporting CP that is set to take place at Fenway Park on July 21st.

Pele, while playing with the Cosmos in the 1970's, played in Yankee Stadium.

Pele played for the Cosmos from 1975-77.

- Dan Gartland

Published Mar 17, 2015

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