MLB owners will meet in November to potentially finalize the Oakland Athletics’ relocation from Northern California to Las Vegas.
According to Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the A’s relocation application will be a subject of the annual winter meetings among MLB’s power elite. Neither the A’s nor MLB have confirmed the report. But Akers is about as dialed in when it comes to this as anyone.
It was back in June that the Nevada State Legislature approved $350 million in public funding for a new state-of-the-art stadium right off the Vegas Strip at the current site of the Tropicana casino and resort. Governor Joe Lombardo (R) then signed the bill into law.
“I am excited to officially sign SB1 this afternoon. This is an incredible opportunity to bring the A’s to Nevada, and this legislation reflects months of negotiations between the team, the state, the county, and the league. Las Vegas position as a global sports destination is only growing, and Major League Baseball is another tremendous asset for the city.
Lombardi on Oakland Athletics likely relocation to Las Vegas
Since then, embattled A’s owner Josh Fisher has been on the receiving end of a ton of criticism for his cheap ways. According to a report from John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, several MLB owners are not happy about the “preferential treatment” Fisher has received from the league during the relocation process.
Related: Oakland Athletics release Las Vegas stadium renderings
Oakland Athletics record: 46-100, 36.5 games out of 1st place
In addition to the A’s losing 100 games for the second consecutive season, they boast MLB’s smallest payroll at just under $59 million.
All of this comes at a time when A’s fans have held reverse protests targeting Fisher. In indicating that he has no interest in selling the team, Fisher talked about this recently, too.
“I take it personally, as I should. It’s my decision to move the team. The decision was mine. And so I understand and appreciate the way fans feel about that decision,” Fisher told ESPN back in August.
Despite the drama behind the scenes, it stands to reason that the A’s will get enough votes from MLB owners for relocation to be finalized. The revenue uptick that would come with a new stadium in Vegas is too much for them to pass up on.
If so, the A’s will be breaking in a new stadium in Southern Nevada on Opening Day of 2028. There is also a chance that the A’s play in the Vegas’ suburb of Summerlin on a temporary basis after their lease with the Oakland Coliseum runs out following next season.