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Las Vegas is about to get its second sports team from Oakland.
On Thursday, ESPN reported that Major League Baseball owners approved a plan to move the Oakland Athletics to Vegas, following in the footsteps of the now-Las Vegas Raiders.
The relocation “comes after more than two decades of failed efforts to secure a new stadium in the city to replace the aging Oakland Coliseum,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports.
Passan noted that the move isn’t finalized, as the state’s promise to provide $380 million for the construction of a new $1.5 billion stadium on the Strip faces legal challenges from a teachers union.
The stadium itself is also an issue, as current plans don’t include a dome or retractable roof to keep out the summer heat.
Further complicating matters, that stadium isn’t expected to open until 2028, The Athletic reports.
“Where the A’s will play for the 2025-27 seasons is not yet clear,” the outlet added.
Despite these concerns, MLB owners gave the move unanimous support.
“Today marks a significant moment for our franchise, and it’s met with mixed emotions – sadness for this change and excitement for our future,” said John Fisher, managing partner and owner of the team, in a statement posted to social media. “I know this is a hard day for our fans in Oakland. We made sincere efforts to keep our team in Oakland, but unfortunately, it did not work out. … We are excited to begin this next chapter in Las Vegas. I want to thank the Las Vegas and Nevada community for welcoming us. We will continue to work hard to bring home more championships for our fans and for our new home in Vegas.”
