Bud Selig still believes the Oakland Athletics desperately need a new ballpark.

Selig will end his lengthy run as commissioner early next year with the situation remaining unsettled, which has him "frustrated."

"This is always something I wanted to get resolved before I leave office, which is another 5½ or six months," Selig said, citing litigation as the current snag. "I've always said the local club, they know their market best."

Selig praised all parties after the A's recently reached a 10-year lease agreement with the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority to stay at the rundown Coliseum.

At the January 2012 owners' meetings, Selig said the Bay Area situation was on the "front burner." He appointed a committee in March 2009 to study the issues facing the teams, but never ruled on the matter.

"I know there's been criticism about the length this has taken. I'm proud of everything we've done the last 22 years, but this is one of those things as I look back on it, however, it's complicated, it's very complicated," Selig said. "Now we have litigation, so everything is now on hold. That's just a fact of life once we get in litigation. But let me say at the outset, this team needs a new ballpark. ... Once the litigation's resolved, then we'll all proceed."