The Athletics are the last remaining major professional team in Oakland, and even they might be entering their 11th hour in The Town.
Since 2021, the A’s have been exploring “parallel paths” in Oakland and Las Vegas for a new ballpark.
Currently, Oakland and the A’s have yet to reach an agreement on the proposed $1 billion privately financed stadium at Jack London Square that’s part of a $12 billion development project of restaurants, hotels, offices, and housing. The proposal would be one of the biggest development projects in California history and reshape the city’s waterfront.
The relocation option would become more serious if the Athletics can’t strike a deal with the city of Oakland on a development plan for a new ballpark. Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, in a recent interview with Sirius XM’s Chris Russo, thinks that contingency is becoming more realistic.
“I do want to say this, I think the mayor in Oakland has made a huge effort to try to get it done in Oakland,” Manfred said. “It just doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. I’m not positive about it. I think the A’s have proceeded prudently in terms of exploring the Las Vegas alternative. Given the lack of pace in Oakland, I think they have to look for an alternative.”
A’s president Dave Kaval, owner John Fischer and local politicians have been working to try to strike a deal before this year’s midterm elections, when mayor Libby Schaaf’s term ends and city council seats change over. But legal challenges and other bureaucratic or economic speed bumps have slowed the process and fizzled that hope.
Schaaf, in a statement to the San Francisco Chronicle, said she connected with Manfred and assured him “I remain absolutely confident our deal in Oakland will get done next year even with new leadership in place.”
“The A’s are continuing to invest tremendous resources into an Oakland deal,” the mayor said in the statement. “We are working together every day to realize our shared vision for a vibrant waterfront neighborhood with public parks, good jobs, affordable housing and an iconic home for our Oakland A’s.”
Manfred noted that he sees Tampa Bay’s ongoing stadium battle differently than Oakland’s, calling Tampa a “viable” MLB market. That would indicate that the commissioner doesn’t feel the same about Oakland.
The A’s finished last in attendance in 2022, averaging 9,973 fans per game. But they’re in the middle of a rebuilding cycle and ranked 24th in 2019 — the last pre-pandemic season. The A’s have made the playoffs in six of the past 11 seasons.
Though his comments aren’t reassuring, Manfred also didn’t firmly say he believes the Athletics will move to Las Vegas, just that “something has to happen.” The Athletics’ lease at the RingCentral Coliseum — which opened in 1966 — runs through 2024.
“We can’t go five more years in the Coliseum,” Manfred said.