The Oakland Athletics will depart from the Coliseum at the end of their lease this year and relocate to a temporary venue.
Rob Manfred (Image via San Diego Union-Tribune)
As teams prepare for the upcoming 2024 MLB season, the focus has shifted to the Oakland Athletics. This will be their final season at the Coliseum before moving to a temporary location, with plans to ultimately relocate to Las Vegas in 2028.
Speaking at a recent Owner’s meeting, Commissioner expressed his thoughts on this significant development. He admitted that he would be disappointed if the A’s Las Vegas ballpark is not ready by 2028.
The 65-year-old MLB official, along with team owner, has faced criticism for their decision to move the Athletics. Despite this, Manfred expressed sadness over the loss of another sports franchise in Oakland and stated that they made every effort to keep the team there.
The Commissioner now believes that this decision is in the best interest of the Athletics and the sport of baseball.
Ironically, baseball fans have been disappointed in Rob Manfred ever since he became MLB commissioner.
During the Owners’ Meeting this week, Rob Manfred revealed that he is uncertain about the temporary relocation destination for the Oakland Athletics. The team’s lease with the Coliseum stadium will expire after this season, prompting them to search for a new home.
Manfred did acknowledge that the team is actively exploring their options and hinted that they may end up in the western part of the country.
Rob Manfred stated that the A’s need to have clarity “in the next few months” regarding their temporary location after this year and before their move to Las Vegas. He mentioned that it will definitely be somewhere in the west but did not provide specifics on the number or specific locations under consideration.
Another major topic discussed in the meeting was the sale of the Baltimore Orioles. The Angelos family, who have owned the team for a long time, have decided to sell it in a massive $1.7 million deal.
On this matter, Manfred expressed his desire to finalize the deal as soon as possible. However, the sale will require a minimum of 75 percent approval from all other owners. It will be interesting to see the impact of this deal, which includes club legend as a minority owner, on the Orioles once it is approved.
According to the Source firstsportz.com