The Oakland Athletics are gearing up for a crucial meeting. Local officials, including big names from the City of Oakland and County of Alameda, are on the guest list for Thursday. John Shea from the San Francisco Chronicle spilled the beans. At the heart of the discussion? A lease extension at the Oakland Coliseum.
Dave Kaval, the A’s team president, is expected to join the fray. Right now, the A’s lease is ticking down, set to expire after the 2024 season wraps up. But here’s the kicker: they’re eyeing a move to Las Vegas. Yet, they’re not ready to pack their bags just yet. Shea hints at a motive behind the scenes. It’s all about the green, specifically local broadcast revenue.
By sticking around at the Coliseum, the A’s keep cashing in on regional-sports-network checks. Thanks to their deal with NBC Sports California, they pocketed a cool $67 million last year alone. And this isn’t chump change; the contract runs all the way through 2034.
But, even if Vegas rolls out the red carpet, their new stadium won’t be game-ready until 2028. That leaves a three-season gap, a sort of no-man’s-land between Oakland and Vegas. The A’s might have to cozy up in a minor-league ballpark during this limbo. Yet, no one’s put pen to paper on this plan.
This news follows a storm of public backlash. The A’s relocation scheme hasn’t won them any popularity contests. Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman threw some shade on a podcast, suggesting the A’s should stick to their Oakland roots. Oakland’s own mayor, Sheng Thao, chimed in with her two cents. Speaking to The Athletic, she cast doubt on the viability of A’s owner John Fisher’s plans.
Thao’s words pack a punch. “There was a thought that this plan he had in the beginning was viable. And now we’re seeing that actually, maybe the plan isn’t viable,” she mused. The real zinger? “The question becomes, are the plans not viable or is it that the ownership’s not viable?”
In the end, it’s a tangled web of negotiations, aspirations, and city pride. The A’s future in Oakland hangs in the balance, with every player—from city officials to the team’s top brass—weighing in on a decision that could reshape the city’s sports landscape.
