There have been persistent rumors that the Oakland Athletics baseball team may relocate from Oakland to Las Vegas. The look for a suitable site may be down to one site as the franchise is close to joining the former Las Vegas Raiders who once called Oakland home.
Where is the Potential Site Located?
The search for the next baseball team is down to one site; where Tropicana stands. At the southeastern end of the Las Vegas Strip, the Tropicana sits on a 35-acre site that could be used for Major League Baseball’s $1 billion venue.
In the new ownership of Bally Corp, the Rat Pack-era resort will either be rebranded or demolished. Since gaining approval from the MLB to explore stadiums in the Las Vegas area, the franchise has considered several locations and narrowed down the selection.
The A’s will consider staying in Oakland if a new stadium can be built, but exploring outside options may bring in more revenue and fans. Even during their playoff runs, the team has struggled to bring fans to the games. In the 2022 season, the average attendance number per game was approximately 9,973, but The Coliseum has a seating capacity of up to 63,132.
Why Should the A’s Consider a Move?
Over the years, Oakland has produced many talented players through its farm system. However, due to the payroll struggles, the team has traded most of its talented players before hitting arbitration and free agency to maximize their return. The process would start over again as it takes time to develop players to be ready for a big league promotion.
The Silver State has been seen as a place for business endeavors as the NHL introduced an expansion team in the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The NBA may also look to land a team in Vegas, but Commissioner Adam Silver is hesitant with any sudden moves. On the other hand, the Aces won the 2022 WNBA Championship. 
It would not be the first time the A’s played regular season games in Las Vegas if they moved to Southern Nevada. A six-game “home” schedule was announced for Oakland’s opening season in 1996 because renovations were being made.
Baseball integration
The team’s Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators, call Nevada home, but minor league ballparks don’t have the dimensions to house an MLB franchise. Before making the move to Syracuse, the Las Vegas 51s (Mets Triple-A affiliate) played there until the 2018 season.
Relocating could be the best move for the A’s as the Golden State Warriors moved to San Francisco not that long ago. The A’s could pursue more business opportunities like a more lucrative TV deal and other sponsorships down the line; with the hopes of bringing more fans to the games. With more revenue, the team would be able to build a team that is suitable to be contenders for years to come in the strong AL West.
