Major League Baseball owners have unanimously approved the relocation of the Oakland Athletics to Las Vegas, making them the first MLB team to change cities since 2005.
Driving the news: The Athletics have been unable to secure a deal for a new ballpark in Oakland, prompting the move to Las Vegas. The team’s lease with the Oakland Coliseum expires after next year, and it is uncertain where they will play after 2024.
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- A Nevada teachers union is currently fighting the 380 million in public funding set to go toward the team’s new 15 billion stadium on the Vegas Strip, which is not set to be ready until 2028.
- Furious fans, who have been critical of team owner John Fisher, largely stayed away from home games this season, and signs imploring Fisher to sell the team were a common sight.
- The Athletics have a history of relocating, having moved from Philadelphia to Kansas City in 1955 and then to Oakland in 1968.
- The move to Las Vegas follows that of the NFL’s Raiders in 2020, leaving Oakland without any major sports teams.
