Oh boy, the Oakland Athletics might just pack up and become the Las Vegas Athletics. It’s kinda like when your favorite local diner decides to move across town. MLB’s big shots, the owners, all gave the thumbs up for the team to relocate. But, here’s the kicker: A’s owner John Fisher is kinda dragging his feet. He’s stuck at the “how do I pay for this?” stage and scratching his head over where the team will play ball from 2025 to 2027. That’s the awkward gap between leaving their current digs at RingCentral Coliseum and the grand opening of their shiny new ballpark in Vegas.
Just when you thought it was a done deal, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman throws a curveball. A few days back, she’s like, “Maybe staying in Oakland ain’t such a bad idea.” Plot twist, right? Then, Oakland’s Mayor Sheng Thao steps up to the plate on Thursday. She’s questioning the whole Vegas move, pointing out that Fisher’s having a déjà vu moment with stadium deals falling through.
Here’s the tea from Thao to The Athletic: “We’re seeing that he has the same issues going to Las Vegas,” she spills. It’s like, was the plan ever solid, or is it just Fisher dropping the ball? Thao’s not holding back, suggesting maybe it’s time for Fisher to either sell the team or come back to the negotiation table. She’s all about finding the best spot for the A’s, whether it’s Howard Terminal or back at the Coliseum.
The A’s have already nixed three potential spots in the Bay Area, with Howard Terminal being the one that got away. Thao’s calling it “shovel-ready,” but who knows if staying put is even on the A’s radar anymore? It’s been crickets between the A’s and Oakland for nearly a year, ESPN says.
Meanwhile, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is hoping to clear the air “in the next few months” about where the A’s will hang their hats from 2025 to 2027. They’ve been eyeing Triple-A parks in Sacramento and Salt Lake City, and maybe, just maybe, they’ll bunk with the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. But let’s be real, using their Triple-A team’s stadium in Vegas? Probably not happening.
Tick tock, the clock’s ticking. MLB’s gotta get cracking on the 2025 schedule soon. Teams usually get a sneak peek around now, with the official lineup dropping in July. And if Vegas is the endgame, they need to start building that ballpark pronto to make the 2028 season opener.
The A’s have been around the block since 1901, starting in Philadelphia, then Kansas City, and finally settling in Oakland in ’68. Despite the bumps in the road, packing up for Las Vegas in 2028 seems like the next chapter. But where they’ll play ball in the meantime? That’s still up in the air, folks.
