John Fisher says Oakland’s condition for A’s to return ‘seemed out of reach’

Apr 4, 2024, 9:16 AM

OAKLAND, CA - APRIL 17: Managing Partner John Fisher of the Oakland Athletics in the stands during the game against the Chicago Cubs at RingCentral Coliseum on April 17, 2023 in Oakland, California. The Cubs defeated the Athletics 10-1. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)

(Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)

BY JOSEPH JAROSZ

Former Editor

On Thursday, it became official, the Oakland A’s will turn into the Sacramento A’s for at least three years.

The Athletics will play in Sutter Health Park, home of the Sacramento River Cats, for the 2025-27 seasons. The reason the team is temporarily moving north is because the team’s lease with the Coliseum expires after the 2024 season. And the earliest a Las Vegas ballpark could be 2028.

In a press release, A’s owner John Fisher released a statement, explaining the franchise explored multiple locations while they await their Las Vegas ballpark to be built.

“We explored several locations for a temporary home, including the Oakland Coliseum. Even with the long-standing relationship and good intentions on all sides in the negotiations with Oakland, the conditions to achieve an agreement seemed out of reach,” Fisher said in a press release. “We understand the disappointment this news brings to our fans, as this season marks our final one in Oakland. Throughout this season, we will honor and celebrate our time in Oakland, and will share additional details soon.”

Oakland city officials and Alameda county officials met with the A’s multiple times to extend the team’s lease at the Coliseum, but the two sides could not come to an agreement.

Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento will host the A's for the 2025-27 seasons – ahead of the team's move to Vegas in 2028. pic.twitter.com/KryyjzpLMl

— Oakland A's (@Athletics) April 4, 2024

How did John Fisher and the A’s get to Sacramento?

Last November, Major League Baseball unanimously approved the Athletics relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas. The team plans to build a $1.5 billion, nine-acre stadium where the Tropicana Hotel currently stands.

The ballpark, which was granted $380 in public funding for construction in the summer of 2023, could open as early as 2028 if everything goes according to plan.