The Oakland Athletics will play three seasons in Sacramento from 2025-27 while awaiting their new digs in Las Vegas.
The deal announced Thursday includes an option for a fourth season at Sutter Health Park, home of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats.
“On behalf of all of MLB, I want to express my appreciation to West Sacramento, Sutter Health Park, the (NBA’s) Kings and the greater Sacramento region for their excitement to host the A’s for interim play, as the A’s new permanent home is built in Las Vegas,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said.
The temporary home in West Sacramento means the current 2024 season will be the last for the A’s at the aging Oakland Coliseum, their home since the 1968 campaign. The lease expires after this season.
Terms of the agreement in Sacramento were not disclosed.
“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,” A’s owner and managing partner John Fisher said in a statement.
“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.
“We extend our appreciation to the Kings and the City of West Sacramento, and look forward to making Sutter Health Park our home until our new ballpark opens in Las Vegas.”
The River Cats are owned by Vivek Ranadive, owner of the Sacramento Kings.
“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,” Ranadive said. “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.”
Major League Baseball approved the Athletics’ proposal for relocation to Las Vegas in November.
Plans are in place for a $1.5 billion, nine-acre stadium at the site of the Tropicana Hotel with the City of Las Vegas granting $380 million in public funding for construction in 2023. But the ballpark will not open until at least the end of the 2027 calendar year, meaning the first season it could host the A’s in the regular season would be 2028.
Sutter Health Park opened in 2000 and has 10,624 seats, but could be modified to accommodate up to 14,000.
–Field Level Media
