Social media was abuzz over the weekend about the Oakland Athletics move to Las Vegas being in some type of trouble. But, is there really a glimmer of hope for Athletics’ fans that the A’s will stay in the Bay Area?
Let’s take a look. But first, some history on the Athletics’ decision to move.
How the A’s Ended Up Heading for the Las Vegas Strip
Rumor and innuendo of the A’s leaving Oakland proper, and the crumbling Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, have been going on since the early 2000’s. Ownership groups have long wanted to leave the Coliseum, and its monstrosity of centerfield seating known as Mt. Davis, since the Raiders returned from Los Angeles in the mid-1990’s. Areas around the city of Oakland were identified, however, never seemed to catch on. In 2005, it looked as though the ball club was going to move from Oakland to Fremont in Alameda County, but once again plans fell through. A few years later, a potential move to San Jose was kiboshed by the San Francisco Giants over television rights. Whether right or wrong, the Athletics’ ownership group but the onus on the city of Oakland to find a suitable replacement location for the Coliseum.
Sites such as the stadium’s parking lot, the Peralta Villa neighborhood, and the Howard Terminal area were all proposed but failed to gain traction with Oakland’s government. Fed up at the city’s failure to act, and watching the success of the Raiders who bolted to Las Vegas in 2020, the Athletics’ ownership made their decision to move to the glitz and glamor of the strip. A last ditch effort by then-incoming Oakland mayor Sheng Thao was made at the 2023 MLB All-Star Game in Seattle. Thao met with Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred to present a plan to open up direct communication between the city and Manfred. It didn’t matter, ownership came to a land agreement off the Las Vegas Strip for a new ballpark and were given the blessings of MLB owners to make the move.
The A’s would play the 2024 MLB regular season at the Coliseum before becoming nomads until moving to Vegas for the 2028 MLB regular season. Their reported homes for 2025-27 seasons include a new short-term lease at the Coliseum, the Giants’ Oracle Park, and/or their Triple-A ballpark in Summerlin, NV.
The A’s in Oakland: A New Hope?
That seems rather concise, no? So, why the new “rumors” of the Vegas move potentially falling through?
Get ready for this one: the move is in peril because there are no ballpark renderings.
Yup! It seems as though the speculation began with the Athletics’ Fan Sided site ,White Cleat Beat. They —correctly, mind you— identified the funding issues from the state of Nevada as major hurdle for the Athletics’ move to Vegas. From there, it went wild with speculation that the lack of drawings are the reason the deal is falling through. Check out r/OaklandAthletics at your own peril if you want do go down the rabbit hole.
Back to the question at hand: is there hope for the A’s to stay in the Bay Area? There’s hope for Bay Area A’s fans until shovels are in the ground on a new ballpark in Vegas. But, maybe it’s time to for them to start investing in the hated San Francisco Giants because all the A’s are going to do is break their hearts … again.
After all, moving isn’t anything new for the Athletics.
A’s History: A Timeline of the Athletics
- 1901: Founded in Philadelphia to compete with National League Philadelphia Phillies. Legendary Connie Mack is named manager.
- 1902: Athletics win the American League pennant.
- 1905: Athletics win the American League pennant. Lose World Series to the New York Giants, 4-1.
- 1910: Athletics win the American League pennant.
- 1910: Athletics win the World Series defeating the Chicago Cubs, 4-1.
- 1911: Athletics win the American League pennant.
- 1911: Athletics win the World Series defeating the New York Giants, 4-2.
- 1913: Athletics win the American League pennant.
- 1913: Athletics win the World Series defeating the New York Giants, 4-1.
- 1914: Athletics win the American League pennant. Lose World Series to Boston Braves, 4-0.
- 1929: Athletics win the American League pennant.
- 1929: Athletics win the World Series defeating the Chicago Cubs, 4-1.
- 1930: Athletics win the American League pennant.
- 1930: Athletics win the World Series defeating the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-2.
- 1931: Athletics win the American League pennant. Lose World Series to St. Louis, 4-3.
- 1954: The Mack family sells their shares of the team and Shibe Park to businessman Arnold Johnson.
- 1954: Athletics relocate after the season to Kansas City and are renamed the Kansas City Athletics.
- 1955: Athletics begin play in Kansas City, Missouri.
- 1960: Owner Arnold Johnson dies in March. Charles Finley buys the club in December.
- 1963: Finely changes the team colors to the now familiar green, gold, and white.
- 1964: In January, Finley agrees to move the team to Kentucky, however American League owners vote down the move. In February, Finley attempts to move the club to Oakland and owners once again vote against the move, 9-1.
- 1967: In October, Finley once again attempts to move the club to Oakland. AL owners relent, allowing the club to move to for the 1968 season.
- 1968: Athletics begin playing at the Oakland Coliseum
- 1969: Assigned to the American League West as part of the AL’s division split.
- 1971: Athletics win AL West, however, lose 3-0 to the Baltimore Orioles in the ALCS.
- 1972: Athletics win the AL West and defeat the Detroit Tigers, 3-2, to win the AL Pennant.
- 1972: Athletics defeat the Cincinnati Reds, 4-3, to win the World Series.
- 1973: Athletics win the AL West and defeat Baltimore in five-games to win the AL Pennant.
- 1973: Athletics win the World Series in seven-games over the New York Mets.
- 1974: Athletics win the AL West and defeat Baltimore, 3-1, to win the AL Pennant.
- 1974: Athletics defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in five-games to win the World Series.
- 1975: Athletics win the AL West however lose the ALCS to the Boston Red Sox ,3-0.
- 1980: In August, Finley sells the club to businessman Walter Hass effective at the beginning of the 1981 season.
- 1981: Walter Haas takes over as owner of the club.
- 1981: Athletics defeat the Kansas City Royals, 2-1, to win the AL West title. They would lose to the New York Yankees in three-games in the ALCS.
- 1988: Athletics win the AL West and defeat Boston, 4-0, to win the AL Pennant.
- 1988: Athletics defeat Los Angeles in five-games to win the World Series.
- 1989: Athletics win the AL West and defeat the Toronto Blue Jays in, 4-1, to win the AL Pennant.
- 1989: Athletics defeat Bay Area rival the San Francisco Giants in four-games to win the World Series.
- 1990: Athletics win the AL West and defeat Boston, 4-0, to win the AL Pennant. Lose the World Series, 4-0, to Cincinatti.
- 1992: Athletics’ 25th season in Oakland.
- 1992: Athletics win the AL West, however, lose the ALCS to Toronto, 4-2.
- 1995: Haas dies, and the club is sold to a consortium including Bay Area businessman Steve Schott.
- 1997: Billy Beane takes over general manager ushering in the “Moneyball” era.
- 2000: Athletics win the AL West, however, lose the ALDS to New York, 3-2.
- 2001: Athletics make the MLB Postseason as a Wild Card team, however, lose the ALDS to New York, 3-2.
- 2002: Athletics win the AL West, however, lose the ALDS to the Minnesota Twins, 3-2.
- 2003: Athletics win the AL West, however, lose the ALDS to Boston, 3-2.
- 2005: Athletics are sold to a group including Lewis Wolff and John J. Fisher.
- 2006: Athletics win the AL West and sweep Minnesota in the ALDS, 3-0. The Detroit Tigers would sweep the ALCS, 4-0.
- 2012: Athletics win the AL West, however, lose the ALDS to Detroit, 3-2.
- 2013: Athletics win the AL West, however, lose the ALDS to Detroit, 3-2.
- 2014: Athletics make the MLB Postseason as a Wild Card team, however, lose the AL Wild Card Game to Kansas City, 9-8.
- 2016: Fisher buys out Wolff and becomes the full owner of the team.
- 2017: Athletics’ 50th season in Oakland.
- 2018: Athletics make the MLB Postseason as a Wild Card team, however, lose the AL Wild Card game to New York, 7-2.
- 2019: Athletics make the MLB Postseason as a Wild Card team, however, lose to the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-1.
- 2020: Athletics win the AL West and defeat the Chicago White Sox, 3-2, in the AL Wild Card Series. The Houston Astros would win the ALDS, 3-1.
- 2023: In April, Fisher finalizes and announces plans to move the club to Las Vegas. This includes purchasing land near the Las Vegas Strip for a ballpark.
- 2023: In June, the Nevada Legislature approves ballpark financing.
- 2023: In August, Fisher applies for relocation approval from MLB.
- 2023: In November, MLB owners approved the Athletics’ move to Vegas.
Athletics’ Franchise Win-Loss Record by City
| City | Years | Wins | Losses | Winning % | Postseason Appearances | Pennants | World Series Titles |
| Philadelphia | 1901-1954 | 3,886 | 4,248 | 0.478 | 8 | 9 | 5 |
| Kansas City | 1955-1967 | 829 | 1,224 | 0.404 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oakland | 1968-Present | 4,545 | 4,294 | 0.514 | 21 | 6 | 4 |
| Overall | 1901-Present | 9,260 | 9,766 | 0.487 | 29 | 15 | 9 |
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