OAKLAND, Calif.—The Athletics will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor-league ballpark near Sacramento until their planned new stadium in Las Vegas is built.
The A’s on Thursday announced the decision to play at the home of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27, with an option for 2028, after failing to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time.
“We explored several locations for a temporary home, including the Oakland Coliseum,” team owner John Fisher said in a statement. “Even with the longstanding relationship and good intentions on all sides in the negotiations with Oakland, the conditions to achieve an agreement seemed out of reach. 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.”
The A’s, a franchise that began in Philadelphia and also played in Kansas City, Mo., before transferring to Oakland in 1968, last April announced their intention to move to Las Vegas. Major League Baseball owners in November unanimously approved the application to relocate.
The decision angered fans in Oakland, and the team’s previously low attendance dropped precipitously with the club drawing a league-low 832,352 fans last season to the outdated Coliseum. The A’s drew 13,522 fans on opening night this year, with a few thousand others protesting Fisher in the parking lot, and failed to reach 7,000 fans in any of the next six games.
The A’s will now play at least the next three seasons at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, near the state capitol and the NBA arena where the Sacramento Kings play. The minor-league stadium, home to the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A affiliate, the River Cats, has 10,624 fixed seats and can currently hold 14,014 fans with lawn seating and standing room.
“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,” said Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé, who also owns the River Cats. “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.”
The River Cats will still play in their stadium the next three years while sharing it with the A’s.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred thanked the Kings and the leaders in the Sacramento area for getting an agreement done.
By staying in Northern California, the A’s are hopeful of keeping a large share of their local- television rights held by NBC Sports California. That deal is worth a reported $67 million a year.
The A’s brought four World Series championships to Oakland, in 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1989.
