Las Vegas Athletics

[Squirrel]

Please keep to topic. The Sports Bar is a great place to discuss the state of cities related to crime. While an easy tangent, we’ve learned through the years these easy tangents go awry quickly. Please keep your comments directly related to baseball discussion

[Danchat]

Vegas has welcomed in a football team and a hockey team with roaring results, and I think they will be a great destination for the A's, but it is sad that Oakland will be losing them. It's pretty rare to see a team with that much history have to relocate.

[Jocko87]

On 4/20/2023 at 5:23 PM, Nine of twelve said:

They have not been the Devil Rays since 2007.

Yeah but the throwbacks are out.  I wonder if they are going to refund some broadcaster fines. 

[Joey Self]

On 4/21/2023 at 9:34 PM, Danchat said:

Vegas has welcomed in a football team and a hockey team with roaring results, and I think they will be a great destination for the A's, but it is sad that Oakland will be losing them. It's pretty rare to see a team with that much history have to relocate.

If they make this move, won't the As be the most moved MLB team?  Philadelphia to Kansas City to Oakland to Las Vegas would be four locations in about 70 years, at least in the last 120 years?  

[ashbury]

19 minutes ago, Joey Self said:

If they make this move, won't the As be the most moved MLB team?  Philadelphia to Kansas City to Oakland to Las Vegas would be four locations in about 70 years, at least in the last 120 years?  

There was a lot of chaos in the nineteenth century, but once things stabilized with the advent of the American League in 1901 I think you are correct.  The Braves moved from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta, so this will break the tie.

[Nine of twelve]

Bump.

The discussion on the Fun With Numbers thread led me to think more about this. It was pointed out on that thread that the Athletics' lease in Oakland is up at the end of 2024. Now, apparently a new stadium in Las Vegas will not be in place until the 2027 season. Meanwhile, Las Vegas Ballpark, which seats 10,000 according to the internet, is the home of the AAA Las Vegas Aviators. And, probably not coincidentally, the Aviators happen to be the A's AAA affiliate. So it makes me wonder if MLB will allow the A's to move at the end of 2024, play in Las Vegas Ballpark in 2025 and 2026, and move to the new stadium in 2027. In fact, I wonder if this hasn't already been consummated under the table. I'm sure the Las Vegas community would welcome this with open arms and playing without a lease or with two one-year leases in a deteriorating stadium in Oakland would not be a happy situation.

A new AAA franchise would need to be secured in either case, and this would simply move that up by two years. I would imagine that a AAA team in Oakland would not be well supported. There was a AAA team in Hawaii from 1961 through 1987, and I would think a team would be supported there if it weren't for the horribly inconvenient travel logistics. It will be interesting to see where that team will be located.

[ashbury]

2 hours ago, Nine of twelve said:

Bump.

The discussion on the Fun With Numbers thread led me to think more about this. It was pointed out on that thread that the Athletics' lease in Oakland is up at the end of 2024. Now, apparently a new stadium in Las Vegas will not be in place until the 2027 season. Meanwhile, Las Vegas Ballpark, which seats 10,000 according to the internet, is the home of the AAA Las Vegas Aviators. And, probably not coincidentally, the Aviators happen to be the A's AAA affiliate. So it makes me wonder if MLB will allow the A's to move at the end of 2024, play in Las Vegas Ballpark in 2025 and 2026, and move to the new stadium in 2027. In fact, I wonder if this hasn't already been consummated under the table. I'm sure the Las Vegas community would welcome this with open arms and playing without a lease or with two one-year leases in a deteriorating stadium in Oakland would not be a happy situation.

A new AAA franchise would need to be secured in either case, and this would simply move that up by two years. I would imagine that a AAA team in Oakland would not be well supported. There was a AAA team in Hawaii from 1961 through 1987, and I would think a team would be supported there if it weren't for the horribly inconvenient travel logistics. It will be interesting to see where that team will be located.

I don't know the length of minor league working agreements - used to be only 2 years but it may have crept upward.  But if the timing is right, I wonder if the Reno Aces become affiliated with the new Las Vegas team, and the Diamondbacks in turn work out something to bring AAA back to Tucson.

[ashbury]

9 minutes ago, ashbury said:

I don't know the length of minor league working agreements - used to be only 2 years but it may have crept upward.  But if the timing is right, I wonder if the Reno Aces become affiliated with the new Las Vegas team, and the Diamondbacks in turn work out something to bring AAA back to Tucson.

LOL, no.  Reno signed a 10-year deal a couple of years ago. Never mind.

https://www.milb.com/news/aces-officially-arizona-diamondbacks-affiliate-for-10-more-years

Eh, Vegas and Reno have always been more like frenemies anyway.  The Minneapolis versus St Paul rivalry doesn't compare.  400 miles of lonely desert road can strain the ties.  Then again, Reno doesn't get along well with its next-door neighbor Sparks.

[Nine of twelve]

On 5/26/2023 at 8:50 PM, ashbury said:

I don't know the length of minor league working agreements - used to be only 2 years but it may have crept upward.  But if the timing is right, I wonder if the Reno Aces become affiliated with the new Las Vegas team, and the Diamondbacks in turn work out something to bring AAA back to Tucson.

 

On 5/26/2023 at 8:54 PM, ashbury said:

LOL, no.  Reno signed a 10-year deal a couple of years ago. Never mind.

https://www.milb.com/news/aces-officially-arizona-diamondbacks-affiliate-for-10-more-years

Eh, Vegas and Reno have always been more like frenemies anyway.  The Minneapolis versus St Paul rivalry doesn't compare.  400 miles of lonely desert road can strain the ties.  Then again, Reno doesn't get along well with its next-door neighbor Sparks.

Contracts can be reworked if all involved parties are willing. Wouldn't it make sense for Reno to be the Las Vegas AAA team and Tucson to be the Arizona AAA team? Sure seems that way to me, but I'm not privy to all the inner workings here. In the meantime the whole process could wind up taking some interesting turns and twists.

[Vanimal46]

The move was made official in a league vote. End of an era in Oakland. 

[Vanimal46]

Flying by the seat of their pants... I don't know how they could stay at the Oakland Coliseum for that long. I also don't think MLBPA will approve playing at their open air AAA stadium in Vegas. 115 degree day games is a recipe for disaster. 

[chpettit19]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

The move was made official in a league vote. End of an era in Oakland. 

Only thing that can stop it (or delay it being official official) now is the folks in Vegas (lead by teachers) trying to get the public funding put to a vote in the November 2024 elections.

[Dave Borton]

The owners approved the move, 30-0. What a mess.

Lease expires at end of '24. New ballpark won't be ready until '28. New park will have a "partially retractable roof" (don't ask me what that is). AAA stadium holds 8,000. It they move in there, revenues will equal the 'tank team' it put on the field this year.

Where will the AAA franchise end up (Pacific Coast League). Fischer has said that the A's will become the LV Athletics.

Ever been to Vegas in the summer? Gorgeous weather for a desert Gila monster. 

Smallest media market of all existing MLB clubs; revenue and coverage will be marginal. Population similar to Milwaukee but then there are the tourists. Really, "Oh, let's go to Vegas to see a crap team play on a Tuesday night when the temps dip from 102 to 82 to 72."

Not sure what Fisher was thinking. Nashville chomping at the bit.

https://www.mlb.com/news/owners-approve-a-s-relocation-to-las-vegas

 

 

[LewFordLives]

Having been to the Coliseum, I can honestly say a road trip to Vegas to see the Twins will be a lot more fun.

Actually, the Coliseum was a great place before Al Davis ruined it with that renovation in center field. It's hard to shed tears for billionaire owners, but the city of Oakland clearly had no intention of working with the A's to get something done. Tough day for the fans in Oakland.

[Dave Borton]

Teachers union filing suit to stop public funding involved in $$1.5BB stadium.

"With Major League Baseball owners poised to approve [approved] the relocation of the Oakland Athletics, a Nevada teachers’ union said Tuesday it plans to file a lawsuit that could halt some or all of the $380 million in public funding awarded to the A’s for construction of a new ballpark in Las Vegas."

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2023-11-14/athletics-vegas-teachers

[DJL44]

I don't know why a 33,000 seat stadium costs $1.5B. Target Field cost $555M not even 15 years ago. Globe Life Field cost $1B and it just opened. I don't think we've had 50% inflation in the past 2 years.

[Parfigliano]

4 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

I don't know why a 33,000 seat stadium costs $1.5B. Target Field cost $555M not even 15 years ago. Globe Life Field cost $1B and it just opened. I don't think we've had 50% inflation in the past 2 years.

The mob cut (still exists) and kickbacks to politicians.

[nicksaviking]

On 11/16/2023 at 10:35 PM, davidborton said:

Ever been to Vegas in the summer? Gorgeous weather for a desert Gila monster. 

Smallest media market of all existing MLB clubs; revenue and coverage will be marginal. Population similar to Milwaukee but then there are the tourists. Really, "Oh, let's go to Vegas to see a crap team play on a Tuesday night when the temps dip from 102 to 82 to 72."

Not sure what Fisher was thinking. Nashville chomping at the bit.

https://www.mlb.com/news/owners-approve-a-s-relocation-to-las-vegas

 

 

Yeah, this one could come back and bite MLB in the butt. The NFL, NHL and NBA play games in the early spring, fall and winter, you know, when people LIKE to go to Vegas. And unlike the NFL and NBA, MLB is not a big sports book draw. After a few years of curiosity for being new, that stadium is going to be as empty as Oakland and Tampa.

And the A's won't even own this property? Isn't the land owned by one party, and leased by Bally's who in turn are subleasing to the A's? Fifteen or so years from now at a point when a tourism boom crosses path with a real estate boom, the A's will be playing in Nashville, Charlotte, Portland or some other new city and the brand new stadium will be razed for a new casino. What a freakin' waste, and that's even without getting into the travesty crapped down upon the undeserving fans in Oakland.

In addition to being just the worst human beings, these billionaires are so myopic, only seeing immediate profits and not caring about what happens down the road.

[DJL44]

I wonder how profitable the All-Star game will be. It is inevitable that they award one to Las Vegas.

[Nine of twelve]

I just want to make this observation. There are 29 teams that have shown no interest at all in moving to Las Vegas. So this means that the A's will be moving from the least desirable location in MLB to the least desirable location in MLB. Good luck with that.

[nicksaviking]

On 11/22/2023 at 12:53 PM, DJL44 said:

I wonder how profitable the All-Star game will be. It is inevitable that they award one to Las Vegas.

July in Vegas, average high of 105 degrees. Sounds like a dream vacation!

[Original_JB]

Sounds like they ought to change from the "LV Athletics" to the "Nevada Nova".

[Dave Borton]

On 5/26/2023 at 6:10 PM, Nine of twelve said:

and move to the new stadium in 2027. In fact

I believe 2028 per MLB. https://www.mlb.com/athletics/las-vegas-ballpark

On 5/26/2023 at 8:50 PM, ashbury said:

the Diamondbacks in turn work out something to bring AAA back to Tucson.

Yes! One more excuse to extend our Winter vacation in Mexico/Arizona into a Spring vacation as well.