The ongoing saga of the Oakland A's took two dramatic twists on Friday via reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle and The Athletic.
First, the Chronicle reported that Oakland's mayor office and Major League Baseball's commissioner's office have had preliminary talks about Oakland getting an expansion team if the city extends the A's lease at the aging Coliseum. The lease expires after this season, with the A's planning to move into a new stadium in Las Vegas upon projected completion in 2028.
However, hours later The Athletic reported that Sacramento, Calif., has emerged as the front-runner to be the team's temporary home from 2025-27. The A's would play at 14,000-seat Sutter Health Park, currently home to the San Francisco Giants' triple-A affiliate.
The developments came 24 hours after MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said he's confident the A's will be playing in the new Vegas stadium in 2028. He also said he hopes to have an expansion plan in place by 2029 when he leaves office.
The A's, the City of Oakland and Almeda County met Thursday to discuss a lease extension as well as a possible sale of the team's 50 per cent interest in the Coliseum. An Oakland group, African American Sports and Entertainment Group, wants to do a major redevelopment at the site.
Oakland mayor Sheng Thao told the Chronicle she won't extend the lease without the city keeping an MLB team.
“If a three-year extension was to be offered, and granted, then our expectation is that the city of Oakland would retain an MLB team,” Hanson said. “I recognize that (A's president) Dave Kaval and (owner) John Fisher are not in a position to negotiate that point, so I think our further conversation will have to include the commissioner.”
The Athletic, meanwhile, says Sacramento, Salt Lake City and staying at the Coliseum are the team's main options for 2025-27.
The Athletic reports a move to Sacramento could allow the A's to keep a substantial portion of regional TV money they are owed by NBC Sports California, whereas moving out of state to Salt Lake City would not offer that benefit.
It is about a two-and-a-half hour drive from Oakland to Sacramento.
The A's, one of the worst teams in baseball, played in front of tiny crowds for much of last season after announcing their intention to move.
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