The Athletics announced on Thursday that they will be relocating to Sacramento next season after negotiations for an extension agreement with the City of Oakland stalled.
The move out of Oakland has been long coming, as both the city and franchise have appeared to be too “far apart” in their talks to keep the A’s in Oakland.
The team made its announcement of its plan to temporarily relocate in a joint statement from the Athletics and Sacramento Kings Owner Vivek Ranadivé.
“I’m thrilled to welcome the A’s to Sutter Health Park, where players and fans alike can enjoy a world-class baseball experience and create unforgettable memories,” Ranadivé said in a statement. “Today marks the next chapter of professional sports in Sacramento. The passion of our fans is second to none, and this is an incredible opportunity to showcase one of the most dynamic and vibrant markets in the country.”
Starting in 2025, the A’s will be playing at Sutter Health Park, home of the Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate team for the San Francisco Giants.
MLB owners approved a relocation proposal by A’s owner John Fisher in November last year, which will see the team play at a $1.5 billion facility starting in 2028.
Fans have not been happy with Fisher's decision to move the team, urging him to sell to keep the A's in Oakland. To start the season, many have opted to boycott home games to make their feelings known.
Last season, when talks of relocating were growing, fans staged a reverse boycott, which saw them pack the stadium, but remain quiet during certain portions of during the game.
F. P. Santangelo, a talk show host at 95.7 The Game and a former MLB outfielder who played for both the A's and Sacramento River Cats in 2001, discussed the decision from Fisher, saying that the entire situation is a mess.
"This whole thing is just weird to me. I don't know, it just it just doesn't feel right. I want to be excited because a major league team is going to where I grew up in the 916. But then I feel bad for Oakland fans. I feel bad for the people I know that work with the A's. They might lose their jobs. So this is just a weird day," Santangelo said.
Santangelo went on to call the fans in Oakland a "loyal group," but he also said that Sacramento has been dying for a baseball team for some time.
But when it comes to the players, Santangelo says that no one is going to be happy playing a minor league ball park after working their whole lives to make it to the majors.
"There's not one player that's going to say this is really cool," he said. "If you find that guy, he shouldn't be in the big leagues."
2023 is now set to be the team’s final year at the Oakland Coliseum, as the team’s lease ends at the conclusion of the season.
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