Oakland A's headed to Las Vegas

Why don't they just move there? City of 500K with a 1.5M metro area and a major-league ready stadium (if they can add a modest upper deck and some outfield bleachers to double capacity to around 35K.

 

I wonder what the Giants think of this. Really. My guess is with MLB being the defacto "boss" of the Minors now, they'll give the A's schedule priority and make the RiverCats work around them.

Interesting point Hack, Sacramento is actually one spot higher in the MSA rankings. I would not be surprised if this is the team's "back-up plan" if Vegas goes south. I'd be ok with it. And when you consider that they "split" an MSA with the Giants that was less than double Sacto's total - its an improvement. Particularly since the Bay Area's population is declining 3 percent.

 

Saw an article or two that Sacramento is doing this in hopes of the Vegas deal collapsing and becoming the de facto home.

If the A’s became permanent in Sacto and the team was sold, would any of their current fan base be willing to stick with them? It would mean still being in Northern California.

 

So does this mean the team will become the Sacramento Athletics or the California Athletics for three years? That’s kinda historically awkward if it’s temporary.

 

They'd have to pour a lot of money into that stadium, and quickly, if it's going to be a permanent home. Capacity listed at 14K, but 3K of that is berm seating.

 

Go retro and embrace the vagabond status.

 

And now that I’ve logged into X, I’ve found this gem:

 

There are a lot of fans in Sacramento and the Valley. Oakland and the East Bay Area about an hour’s drive depending. Sac would have been a great option for fans. Alas the owners couldn’t give less of a shit about fans. The team is just a vehicle for their real estate development.

 

To say its been a rough stretch for me as a sports fan is an understatement. I grew up with the Raiders, saw them leave, come back, and leave again. Rooted for the Warriors, at least they are still in the Bay Area, the A's have always been a part of my life - but the current organization is such a nightmare. Oh, and I'm now in Oregon and am alum of Oregon State - so there is that too. Of all of it - the Pac-12's demise seems the most bewildering and asinine to me.

 

I mean, sketchy ownership moves and motives have been part of this franchise for its entire existence, haven't they?
Connie Mack sold off a dynasty out of spite.
The franchise was jokingly referred to as a farm team for the Yankees when it was in Kansas City.
The entire Finley era, even with the team's success, had a lot of odd experiments.
The Moneyball era.

It seems baked into the franchise's DNA that it'll be a shit show more often than not, whether it's located in Philadelphia, Kansas City, Oakland, Sacramento or Las Vegas.

 

Sacramento? Was Battle Mountain not available?