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Athletics headed to Sacramento before Las Vegas move

Originally posted on ClutchPoints | By Owen Crisafulli | Last updated 4/4/24

The Oakland Athletics are a franchise stuck in turmoil both on and off the field currently. When it comes to their play on the diamond, the A’s are the worst team in the league, and it isn’t particularly close. Off the field, their move to Las Vegas has been about as bumpy as possible, with the biggest question where they would be playing from 2025-2027 ahead of their move to Nevada.

With the Athletics lease at the Oakland Coliseum set to expire after the 2024 campaign, the two sides had been trying to negotiate an extension to keep the team in Oakland until their move to Las Vegas. That didn’t end up happening, though, forcing the franchise to pivot elsewhere, and they have reached a deal with Sacramento that will see them play at Sutter Health Park for at least the next three seasons, with an option to remain there for 2028 if the move to Las Vegas isn’t ready yet.

The option year for the A's moving from Oakland to Sacramento gives the team flexibility if its stadium in Las Vegas is not complete. Originally, the A's wanted to be in Vegas by 2027. Then it was 2028. Now it could be as late as 2029.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 4, 2024

Athletics finally find a home ahead of Las Vegas move

Oakland Athletics infielder Abraham Toro (31) reacts after a walk-off win against the Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

The Athletics move to Vegas has not been smooth at all, and while they had the framework for the relocation set, there was a gap the franchise had to fill in ahead of 2028. The negotiations to stay at the Oakland Coliseum never seemed to get particularly close, meaning that the team was going to have to find a new stadium to play games in.

That led them to Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, which is where the Sacramento River Cats of the Pacific Coast League play their games. The River Cats are the San Francisco Giants Triple-A affiliate, but they will have to make way for the Athletics for at least the next three years now that their time at the Oakland Coliseum is coming to an end.

The deal gives the Athletics flexibility to potentially stay in Sacramento for the 2028 campaign if they need to. They initially were hoping to move to Las Vegas by 2027, but that eventually got pushed back to 2028, and it could even have to wait until 2029. There are a lot of unknown variables here, so having that safety net is key for the team now that this deal is complete.

This move surely won’t make fans in Oakland happy, but it’s one that has been coming for some time now, and the Athletics finally have some clarity on what the next few seasons will look like for them. Playing in a minor-league stadium is going to be less than ideal, but as long as the team can stay on the field and eventually find their way to Vegas, that is what the team’s ownership is looking for. Well, they managed to at least secure that with this deal, even if it will further alienate their already frustrated fan base.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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