The Athletics are officially moving to Sacramento for at least three years before ultimately relocating to Las Vegas. Despite being based in Sacramento, the team will continue to be known simply as “The Athletics,” without reflecting their new location in their official name. The decision to drop a geographic location from the team name for the next three years was made clear in brand transition guidelines issued by the organization. This move is consistent with recent trends in sports branding, where teams have opted for city names without specific mascots, as seen with the Washington Football Team and Utah Hockey Club.
The Athletics have a long and storied history, starting in Philadelphia in 1901 before moving to Kansas City in 1955 and eventually settling in Oakland in 1968. The team will now be playing at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, which is currently the home of their rival San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats. This move comes after several other major sports teams, including the Warriors and Raiders, left Oakland in recent years. The move to Las Vegas has faced some challenges, with the team initially aiming to begin playing there in 2027 but facing pushback from the city’s mayor who questioned the feasibility of the move.
The Athletics have signed a binding agreement to purchase 49 acres of land for a new ballpark in Las Vegas, with the new proposed site being where the Tropicana once stood. The stadium is expected to cost around $1.5 billion, and Bally’s will be building a new hotel/casino across from the stadium once it is completed. Despite these developments, the move to Vegas has not been without its hurdles, as the team had to switch their proposed land for the stadium in order to reduce public funding by approximately $105 million. While the transition to their new home in Sacramento and eventual move to Las Vegas may bring some challenges, the Athletics are looking forward to a new chapter in their long history.
Overall, the Athletics’ move to Sacramento and eventual relocation to Las Vegas marks a significant change for the team after 57 seasons in Oakland. While the decision to drop a geographic location from their team name reflects current sports branding trends, the organization will continue to uphold its tradition and legacy as it embarks on this new journey. With plans for a state-of-the-art ballpark in Las Vegas, the Athletics are poised for a new era of competition and growth in the years to come. Despite facing some resistance and obstacles along the way, the team remains focused on providing fans with an exciting and successful future both on and off the field.
