Oakland A’s Buy Land in Vegas

On April 19, the Oakland Athletics announced they are planning to purchase land on the Las Vegas Strip to build a new stadium and move the team to Vegas in 2027. However, the new deal is dependent on securing $500 million from Nevada state lawmakers, and the Athletics’ owner John Fisher would have to commit $1 billion toward building the new stadium.

The A’s have tried, and failed, to build a new stadium in the Bay Area for over a decade. The team wanted to move to San Jose, but was blocked by the Giants and M.L.B. It also had its sights on a new waterfront stadium at the Howard Terminal near Jack London Square in Oakland, but this fell through as well. The team’s current stadium, the Oakland Coliseum, is incredibly outdated. The lights are breaking, mice and cats roam the stands, and there are barely any restaurants inside. 

The A’s have failed to stay competitive in recent years, as they have often traded their best players and have not spent much money to keep the good players they already have. They have the lowest payroll in the entire M.L.B., and their average stadium attendance is the lowest in the league at just 10,129 people per game. Last year, they had their worst season since 1979, losing 102 games. A new stadium in Las Vegas will allow the A’s to create a larger fanbase made up of the many visitors Las Vegas hosts and gain more revenue from luxury suites and ticket sales.

In 2016, Oakland was the home of three major sports teams, and Vegas had zero. If the A’s are able to complete this deal, Vegas will have four teams, and Oakland will not have any. In the last six years, the Raiders (NFL), Golden Knights (NHL), and Aces (WNBA) have all created homes in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Oakland lost the Golden State Warriors and the Raiders within a year. With the recent departure of the Warriors and Raiders, many are questioning if the city of Oakland will ever house another major sports team.

Although this move might generate more revenue for the team in the long run, it is a gut punch to the loyal A’s fan base here in Oakland who have supported the team through their roughest years.