Report: A’s expected to play in Sacramento from 2025-27

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The A’s 57th season in Oakland appears to be their last.

Following Wednesday’s game in the press box, I could hear Red Sox radio announcers reflecting on Boston’s three-game sweep, looking over the empty Coliseum. Something they said struck me – Wednesday could have been the last time the Red Sox ever visited Oakland. All that baseball history, just poof.

Given recent reports, it certainly looks like the Red Sox won’t be coming back to The Town next year.

On Wednesday evening, Sacramento radio personality Carmichael Dave reported that the A’s have come to an agreement to play in the California capital, expectedly for three seasons from 2025-27 until they move into their proposed Armadillo Dome in Las Vegas. Another interesting wrinkle: perhaps the A’s name won’t be following the franchise to Sacramento.

There will be more details at the announcement

– years (hearing 3)
– opt outs if any
– team name

Etc

— Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) April 4, 2024

According to Dave, the A’s and Sacramento aren’t viewing this as a three-year tryout for MLB to prove that the city can be a big-league market. It appears Vivek Ranadive, who purchased the NBA’s Sacramento Kings in 2013 and the Triple-A River Cats in 2022, has helped out his friend and A’s owner John Fisher with this move.

There are two big issues that immediately came to mind when hearing this news.

First of all, how much money will the A’s be able to get for their regional TV contract? Second of all, how are the A’s and the River Cats going to share the same facility?

Under their current deal with NBC Sports California, while playing in Oakland, the A’s reportedly are due to make $67 million annually. Given the current state of the team – which is 1-6 with an American League-worst minus-29 run differential, coming off a 50-112 season and with dismal TV ratings – it’s clearly an overpay for NBC Sports California.

Maybe the two sides can come to an agreement that will be mutually beneficial now that the A’s are leaving the Bay Area, ostensibly breaking the contract. NBC Sports can save tens of millions a year and Fisher can float by, with a deal that would be much better than what Oakland can offer him.

While Oakland wanted a five-year, $97 million commitment from the A’s to remain at the Coliseum beyond 2024, the franchise reportedly countered with two years, $17 million for the lease. They were reportedly very far apart after meeting on Monday, with team employees bracing for layoffs and the move to Sacramento, per Casey Pratt of ABC7.

So here’s what I’m hearing:
A’s met with City today.

A’s meet with Sacramento tomorrow.

A’s have internal meeting Thursday.

Some employees have been told Sac is happening.

Layoffs likely incoming.

Stay tuned.

— Casey Pratt (@CaseyPrattABC7) April 3, 2024

Of course, nothing is official yet, but it looks like we finally have a bit of clarity for the A’s future. It feels like Ranadive is giving his billionaire buddy Fisher a get out of jail free card. The A’s get to be far enough away from Oakland that they can ignore it (hell, they’re doing that already) – but still in Northern California, where they used to have their Triple-A team and have a smaller, but built-in fanbase.

The River Cats jumped ship from the A’s to the Giants as an affiliate in 2014 and are currently under contract to be the Giants Triple-A team until 2030. Triple-A teams play 75 home games and MLB teams play 81, so that’s 156 home dates, excluding exhibitions. Hope the grounds crew is ready.

You can be sure that MLBPA will have to sign off on any move to a Triple-A park. It will be weird to imagine Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers or Aaron Judge and the Yankees preparing for an MLB game in Sacramento.

Sutter Health Park has a seating capacity of about 10,600 and a 14,000-person capacity with seats, lawn and standing room. The A’s averaged 6,438 fans during their seven-game opening homestand, including just 13,522 during the opening day boycott on Thursday, so perhaps the smaller capacity stadium will be just fine.

But, still, how the hell does MLB expect Fisher to field a competitive team in Vegas if the A’s attendance is capped at 14K a night? No way in hell he has a competitive payroll in 2028 after 4 more years of low attendance (including this season) and low revenues.

Most importantly, I think we should all recognize that this is likely the final season of baseball at the Coliseum. 

Yeah, it sucks that you have to pay Fisher to get into the stadium, but don’t let him rob you of more memories while you can make them. I know it’s the Summer of Boycott, but if you have the urge to kick your feet up at the Coliseum this season, now’s your chance.

We give money to corporate assholes all the time – cell phone companies, banks, car companies, the United States government. I say, don’t let your spite of Fisher rid you of a good time.

I get that it’s a heartstring issue for a lot of fans and it’s complicated, but realize that there are likely only 74 games left in Oakland. Then big league baseball could be gone from The Town. For-ev-er.

It’s cool what the Ballers are doing to try and preserve Oakland baseball, but it won’t be the same without the A’s.