Oakland A's to play in Sacramento for the next 3 years (14k seat capacity)

[Virgil]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39873638/athletics-play-minor-league-park-vegas-residency

 

I get that the A's have abysmal attendance, but moving to a stadium in another city with only 10k seats (+4k for lawn chairs) sounds crazy to me for any professional team.

[Gregg]

The Arizona Coyotes of MLB.

[SinceThe70s]

19 hours ago, Virgil said:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39873638/athletics-play-minor-league-park-vegas-residency

 

I get that the A's have abysmal attendance, but moving to a stadium in another city with only 10k seats (+4k for lawn chairs) sounds crazy to me for any professional team.

 

It'll be a unique opportunity to see MLB up close and personal. Without knowing a thing about the area, it wouldn't surprise me if they pack the place regularly. Especially since they'll only be there a few years. 

 

Reminds me a liitle of the Islanders playing in a scaled down Nassau Coliseum while their new arena was being built. Not apples to apples by any stretch cuz the Coliseum was smaller but not tiny, the Isles were competitive and the Coliseum was closer to their fan base than Brooklyn.

[Wacka]

Sacramento is the AAA farm team of the A's. Toronto played in Buffalo during COVID.

Edited April 5 by Wacka

[SirAndrew]

I love the game of baseball itself, but everything associated with MLB has become a joke. The NFL makes ridiculous moves, but they’re such a loved institution it doesn’t matter. MLB already shredded the minor league system, and seems insistent on bringing the game to fewer fans, at a time they should be reaching out to more fans. Baseball isn’t a TV driven sport like football, they should be looking for an opportunity to bring the game to a larger paying audience, not a 14K seat stadium. 

[Mike in Horseheads]

They will pry draw more than they are in Oakland sadly

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Should have arranged an interim placement in Sausalito.  Closer than Sacramento to Oakland, and an Al Martino tribute band could have played at home games.

 

[Wacka]

Play on a houseboat? Sausalito is hills and houseboats with a street in between.That's all.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

3 hours ago, Wacka said:

Play on a houseboat? Sausalito is hills and houseboats with a street in between.That's all.

Geographic and nautical factors aside, Al Martino never sang about Sacramento, did he?! 🤨

*
😁

[Draconator]

The final series in Oakland may be a sellout. I'm loosely considering going to Oakland for that series. 

 

As for playing in Sacramento, the A's ownership has zero interest in Oakland. They have told their customer service workers not to use the term "Oakland" when talking about the A's. Baseball can work in Oakland. The stadium is a downright dump. The city leaders offered over $500 Million towards a new ballpark. A's ownership said "Nope'. 

[Wacka]

😅The Raiders  had banner there that I read "Commitmemnt to Excrement."

Edited April 7 by Wacka

[Mike in Horseheads]

On 4/4/2024 at 2:46 PM, Virgil said:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39873638/athletics-play-minor-league-park-vegas-residency

 

I get that the A's have abysmal attendance, but moving to a stadium in another city with only 10k seats (+4k for lawn chairs) sounds crazy to me for any professional team.

Will they have a dome?

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

In 1974, for their third straight World Series title, the A's only drew 845,000 in Oakland, just over 10,000 per game:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/1974.shtml

 

[That's No Moon]

On 4/4/2024 at 2:46 PM, Virgil said:

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39873638/athletics-play-minor-league-park-vegas-residency

 

I get that the A's have abysmal attendance, but moving to a stadium in another city with only 10k seats (+4k for lawn chairs) sounds crazy to me for any professional team.

Didn't want to pay Oakland the severance fee or be compelled to sell their stake in the property.  Frankly I don't think Oakland really wanted them to stay at this point which was the purpose of the middle finger fee.

 

I know it was a long time ago, but Oakland stole this team from Kansas City, who stole it from Philadelphia, both times in shady fashion. Karma will work its way back to you.

[Mike in Horseheads]

37 minutes ago, \GoBillsInDallas/ said:

In 1974, for their third straight World Series title, the A's only drew 845,000 in Oakland, just over 10,000 per game:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/1974.shtml

 

They never packed the park because the Raiders owned that area

Edited April 7 by Mike in Horseheads

[Wacka]

The distance is only 81 miles. That's closer than Bifalo to Erie, PA.

[BADOLBILZ]

On 4/5/2024 at 7:19 PM, SirAndrew said:

I love the game of baseball itself, but everything associated with MLB has become a joke. The NFL makes ridiculous moves, but they’re such a loved institution it doesn’t matter. MLB already shredded the minor league system, and seems insistent on bringing the game to fewer fans, at a time they should be reaching out to more fans. Baseball isn’t a TV driven sport like football, they should be looking for an opportunity to bring the game to a larger paying audience, not a 14K seat stadium. 

 

 

I agree about baseball making a mistake in reducing the amount of minor league affiliates........that was an unnecessary cost-cutting measure that limits opportunities for people to see pro baseball in person.    Unfortunately,  the A's have just never been supported in volume in Oakland.   As I said in the other thread on this topic they were near the bottom of the league in attendance when they were on that historic 3 straight WS victory run in the 1970's at a time when the ballpark was NOT a relic.  

 

Their ballpark should have been replaced with one of those retro style parks back in the 1990's but Oakland had that Marshawn Lynch, sneak your own booze in attitude about the A's.   Now the government realizes they should have made more effort to keep those 81 home dates but the PR has been so bad for so long there is no guarantee that if the A's build a new park that the fans won't stay away out of spite.   They need a fresh start.