The Oakland A's Will Reportedly Be Playing Home Games In Sacramento Starting In 2025

This is just breaking now so pardon me while I sort through some things that we know and some things that we don't.

One thing we do know is that the A's owner John Fisher is a liar.

SOURCE - One footnote: Over the summer, John Fisher, owner of the A’s, gave an interview to the Las Vegas Review-Journal in which he claimed the club would lose $40 million in 2023. According to Forbes, the actual figure was a loss of $11 million—not small, but certainly not $40 million. 

Losing $11 million is a lot of money but remember that he is not investing into this team whatsoever and has intentionally ruined any relationship with the city as he makes his way to Las Vegas. Also that Forbes report said the A's are worth $1.2 BILLION dollars so this idea that he is losing so much money when at any time, he could sell the team for a gigantic windfall.

My overall point is that we shouldn't blame Oakland fans here. This is not their fault and they are losing a big part of their city. The A's have been in Oakland since 1968 and have won four World Series while calling Oakland home. They have undoubtedly been part of some wonderful memories for the people in the Bay Area.

Terry Schmitt. Shutterstock Images.

So, now the A's are off to Sacramento until (I assume) the stadium in Las Vegas is ready in 2028. Sacramento will be the temporary home because when it comes to John Fisher, it's always about money.

SOURCE - The Athletics’ TV contract with NBC Sports California has loomed as a major factor in the situation, as the deal (which pays the A’s upwards of $67MM per season) requires the team to actually be located in the Bay Area.  Shea and Ostler write that the A’s are also in talks with NBC Sports California about a revised contract, and speculate that “if the A’s could cut a new deal for, say, half that amount, they might grab it.  They’d be losing tens of millions per year, but they’d still be making tens of millions, and could make up any shortfall in other ways.” 

The A's already have their AAA team in Sacramento. What happens to the River Cats now? Can they share a stadium with the A's? I honestly have no idea. I don't recall anything like this happening before. I'm guessing they can make the MLB and PCL schedules work? If you thought players didn't want to play for the A's now, imagine when they don't have a true home clubhouse that is actually all theirs for three years.

I'm assuming they will be called the Sacramento A's. I know the A's were intent on keeping the team name when they moved to Vegas. So now the team location history will read: Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland/Sacramento/Las Vegas. Totally normal.

Finally, this is unquestionably a black eye for baseball. Yes, franchises do move from time to time and it's never easy. No matter what you have a city that is losing a team and that sucks. But the sloppy way this was handled is an embarrassment. MLB wants the A's in Las Vegas because it will mean more revenue for everyone. So Rob Manfred will win in the end. But I sure hope he knows his hands are stained with the tears of fans who have loved something for nearly 60 years.

There are proper ways to say goodbye. This ain't it.