The Oakland Athletics still have a lease to play at the Oakland Coliseum in 2024, but they still don’t know exactly where they will play over the next few years.
However, in 2028, they will become the first team to play their home games in Las Vegas in MLB history.
Indeed, MLB owners have approved A’s owner John Fisher’s proposal to move his club from Oakland to Las Vegas.
Note that this was done unanimously. The relocation vote ends the A’s 55-year stay in Oakland.
Recall that city officials and Fisher were unable to agree on finding a new stadium in the area for nearly 18 years.
It is the third professional sports franchise (after the NBA and NFL) to leave Oakland in the last five years. Sad…
This move is also the first since that of the Montreal Expos in 2005.
The next question is where the A’s will play from 2025 to 2027, i.e. when the stadium will be under construction for the 2028 season.
The idea of staying in California (renewing the lease until 2027 or going to play at the Giants stadium) is on the table, as is that of going to play in the club’s AAA stadium, which happens to be in Vegas.
There are still details to be worked out, but an important step has just been taken.
