• Loading stock data...
Friday, May 9, 2025
Join us May 14 at 1 p.m. ET for Future of Sports: Leagues of Their Own Register Now

Oakland Politicians, Fans Mount Last-Ditch Effort To Keep A’s

  • Mayor, city council reaffirm commitment to keeping MLB team.
  • Fans develop elaborate box for MLB team owners to make pitch for anti-relocation vote.
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

It may be a lost cause at this point, but Oakland’s political leaders and baseball fans are not letting the A’s go to Las Vegas without fighting until the bitter end.

With Major League Baseball set to vote next week on the A’s proposed relocation amid high expectations of approval, the club’s hometown since 1968 is still trying to change minds.

Oakland mayor Sheng Thao, who has battled for months with league officials, wrote team owners detailing how the more than $900 million in proposed public-sector assistance for a new ballpark in Oakland would nearly triple the $380 million in taxpayer funds pledged in Las Vegas, now the subject of a potential referendum. 

During a standing-room-only hearing this week, Oakland’s city council also unanimously passed a resolution reaffirming its commitment to keeping the A’s.

“You can have Oakland, [and] you can have Las Vegas. You can have both,” Thao said. “You can keep this amazing fan base and expand into a new market. All you have to do is vote no and make sure that the Oakland A’s stay rooted here in the city of Oakland.”

Thao’s letter is additionally part of an elaborate “Stay In Oakland” box developed by a group of A’s fans, along with supporting clothing companies and designers. Sent to team owners, the box also includes an A’s cap, a customized baseball card, and a DVD of Oakland baseball history.

“The box is everything that’s been done before in Oakland, and why they should vote no,” said Stephen Lucero, an A’s fan, artist, and firefighter. 

If approved, the relocation will represent MLB’s second franchise shift since 1971.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Curry

Brady, Curry, Ohtani Get Most Claims Dropped in FTX Endorser Suit

The judge did call the endorsers “uninformed, negligent, or even reckless.”
Mar 26, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Actor and filmmaker Spike Lee (l) greets former professional boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. during the game between the LA Clippers and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

‘Friends of the Garden’: Inside the NBA’s Most Exclusive Celebrity Suite

“Among the titans of industry, deals are done at Suite 200.”

NFL Nears Deal for YouTube Game That Could Break Streaming Records

YouTube closing in on a deal to show a game from Brazil.
Bill Belichick

UNC Denies Report Jordon Hudson Was Barred From Football Facility

Pablo Torre stood by his reporting on Bill Belichick’s girlfriend.

Featured Today

exclusive

Shams Charania on Draft, Breaking Dončić Trade, ‘Whirlwind’ ESPN Tenure

Charania will work on his first NBA draft lottery for ESPN on Monday.
Fat Perez reacts after hitting his shot on the 16th tee during the WHOOP Shot at Glory on the 16th hole at TPC in Scottsdale on Feb. 5, 2025.
May 7, 2025

Golf Influencers Are the New Currency for PGA Tour and LIV

YouTube golf is big business. The rival tours are staging formal events.
Feb 8, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson talks with New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11), forward Mikal Bridges (25), and guard Josh Hart (3) during a timeout in the third quarter against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden.
May 6, 2025

Before the Villanova Knicks, There Were the Kentucky Celtics

Three decades ago, Boston tried its own version of the college-teammate experiment.
Mar 22, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Joao Fonseca (BRZ) reacts after winning a point against Ugo Humbert (FRA)(not pictured) on day five of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
May 6, 2025

João Fonseca Is a Teen Tennis Phenom. His Parents Are Overseeing His..

The Brazilian is forgoing a management team in favor of his parents.
White Sox

Pope Confirmed White Sox Fan After False Cubs Claims

Pope Leo XIV’s brother confirmed the pontiff is a White Sox fan.
PSG
May 8, 2025

PSG in Champions League Final After Shedding Nine-Figure Superstar Salaries

PSG previously tried to win with a trio of Neymar, Messi, and Mbappé. 
Feb 13, 2018; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville reacts in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.
May 8, 2025

Joel Quenneville Back in NHL After Ban for Blackhawks Scandal

The former Chicago coach was banned from the NHL until last year.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Portfolio Players is our bi-weekly spotlight on the athletes and investors reshaping the business of sports. This week, venture capitalist Kai Cunningham unpacks why athletes land top deals and how the usual investing rules don’t always apply.
May 8, 2025

Celtics-Knicks Game 3 Tickets Near Super Bowl Prices

Game 3 against the Celtics has resale ticket prices beginning around $700.
May 8, 2025

Reeling Cavs Have NBA’s Third-Most-Expensive Roster Next Season

Cleveland trails the Pacers, 2–0, in the conference semifinals.
Jayson Tatum
May 8, 2025

The All-In Celtics Are Suddenly on the Brink

The defending champions find themselves down 2–0 and facing an expensive future.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) raises the Lamar Hunt Trophy with tight end Travis Kelce (87) after the AFC championship NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 29, 2023, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
May 7, 2025

F1 Team Part-Owned by Mahomes, Kelce Makes Changes Amid Struggle

Alpine is ninth in the constructors’ championship.