What do we know about the Athletics new stadium in Las Vegas? Where will they play until it is finished?
With the A’s move to Las Vegas now confirmed, the focus has shifted to the question of where the team will play in the interim. Let’s take a look.
Following a unanimous vote from MLB owners, the Oakland Athletics’ move to Las Vegas is now officially sealed and with that, there are a whole host of things to consider. From the potential damage to the fan base to the repercussions it could have on the roster, and of course what stadium will host them now that they’re without a home.
The Oakland A’s are on the move again but where to?
Though you might not have known, the A’s move to Sin City is actually the fourth time in the franchise’s history that it has relocated. Initially founded in Philadelphia in 1901, the Athletics would later move to Kansas City in 1955, before shifting to Oakland in 1968. As is now evident, the team’s time in the Bay Area is up and there is a proposed $1.5 billion ballpark outfitted with a retractable roof on the Las Vegas Strip that awaits. Until it’s projected 2028 opening, however, the A’s are going to have to find someplace to play, and by the looks of things, the situation is layered.
According to reports, A’s could have a “revolving group” of homes until 2028, however, there are a handful of other plausible options. Firstly, they could stay in Oakland Coliseum, at least for 2024 as the franchise still has one year left on its lease with Oakland. While there has been no official word, this seems to us like the surest bet. On the other hand, Oakland’s mayor Sheng Thano has declared that should the team remain in Oakland, there would be “...conditions to staying at the Coliseum.
What about Oracle Park?
As crazy as it sounds, there have been several reports that indicate that the A’s could in fact play some of their home games in the house of the San Francisco Giants, Oracle Park. This would of course present the complication of balancing both teams’ schedules, but it’s not an impossible task. It would not be an ideal situation and one has to imagine that the Giants would get priority in any scheduling conflict, but it would be a solution.
There’s also the Vegas Las Ballpark
Touted as an MLB standard ballpark with an almost 10,000 capacity, it would seem a logical idea to temporarily relocate the team to a stadium in the city where it’s due to move. On the other hand, that would not be a good idea in terms of marketing the A’s to their new market of fans. Without being unkind, let’s just say this isn’t the best time for the team to be introducing itself to anybody. Incidentally, the Las Vegas Ballpark is a Triple-A park i.e. there would have to be coordination between the MLB and Triple-A schedules. To that end, there are a number ofA other Triple- ballparks that have been mentioned as possible homes, which to say, the ‘revolving group’, however, this is still up the air.
So what do the A’s do?
Ultimately, the A’s are in a very tricky position at the moment such that the franchise can’t exactly be picky about how this all plays out. Indeed, some have even suggested that the team could take up residence at Hohokam Stadium, its spring training facility in Mesa, Arizona. The stadium can seat over 10,000 fans so it does at least have the capacity. Yet, it would be dishonest to say that this is a good option, as it would place the team in the middle of a completely different fan base and some distance away from its own. While it’s the least likely path to be followed, necessity often makes for strange outcomes. Watch this space.