The City of Oakland is making a peace offering to the Athletics as they appear to be leaving, hoping to improve their strained relationship.
The city is going to make a proposal to the team. The offer, which will be presented to the team on Tuesday, aims to keep the Athletics in Oakland until they move to Las Vegas for the 2028 season. The team's lease at the Oakland Coliseum will end after the upcoming season.
The city's proposal will demand the Oakland Athletics to pay a fee of $97 million for extension and would last until the 2029 season, with an option to leave after the 2027 season. Even if the team moves to Las Vegas in 2028, they would still be obligated to pay the full $97 million under the offer's terms.
The offer was first reported by ESPN’s Tim Keown and KGO-TV in San Franciso.
Oakland Says Take It or Leave It
Oakland chief of staff Leigh Hanson states that the offer is non-negotiable, and the city will not bargain with the Athletics. This includes not reducing the cost if the team leaves after 2027 as expected.
Another part of the agreement would require the Athletics to cover the cost of changing the playing field for the Oakland Roots SC of the United Soccer League.
In addition, the city wants the Athletics to commit to selling their 50% stake in the Coliseum complex to a local development company for the land's redevelopment. Although the provision has been agreed upon by both sides, it has not been finalized.
The city has withdrawn its requests for reserving the Athletics’ name and colors for the city, as well as for Major League Baseball to ensure Oakland gets a team in the next expansion. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred stated that he does not expect the league to expand until at least 2030.
Most experts in the Bay Area believe the Athletics are likely to object to the extension fee, especially as they are currently only paying the city $1.5 million to use the Coliseum this season.
“We are very interested in doing business, and in having the A’s stay in Oakland,” Hanson said. “Part of that is helping them solve this interim location challenge and just being clear in what we expect in return.”
Hanson added the city would use the $97 million to help pay a $170 million structural deficit on the stadium.
Athletics are MLB’s Most Nomadic Franchise
The Athletics have been the most nomadic of MLB’s current 30 franchises. And they could on the move again after this season.
The team does not have a home stadium lined up in 2025. The Athletics are considering playing their home games in Triple-A stadiums in Sacramento or Salt Lake City. Another possibility could be the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park.
The Athletics began play in 1901 in Philadelphia as a charter member of the American League. The franchise then moved to Kansas City in 1955 and Oakland in 1968.
The Athletics have won the World Series four times while in Oakland, the last championship in 1989.
Owner John Fisher has substantially reduced the team's payroll in recent years in anticipation of their departure. The Athletics had a 60-102 record in 2022 and 50-112 last season, the worst in MLB.
They have a 1-3 record in this season after defeating the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday.
