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7 months ago
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The Oakland A's will play in West Sacramento for three seasons before completing their controversial move to Las Vegas for the 2028 season, it has been confirmed.
Amid a protest-filled start to the 2024 season, the A's confirmed the news via a short post on social media on Thursday morning, and didn't allow fans to reply to the news.
After the conclusion of the 2024 season, Sutter Health Park will become the new temporary home of the A's, a 1hr 30min, 87-mile drive north of San Francisco.
The team's new ballpark is currently home to the Sacramento River Cats, and has just over 10,600 fixed seats - although the A's are unlikely to host anywhere near that many fans, given their recent circumstances.
The A's are 1-6 to start the season, and have seen large sections of the stadium completely empty as fans continue to stay away in protest at John Fisher's decision to leave Oakland for Vegas in 2028.
Sutter Health Park will host the A's for three - potentially four - seasons before they go to Vegas
This season, the team have opened 1-6 and fans are staying away from the Coliseum in protest
Multiple fans protested before Opening Day - demanding that John Fisher sells the team
Opening Day was dominated by a parking lot protest that saw fans stay outside the Coliseum, with the proceedings led by Last Dive Bar - a local apparel company at the forefront of the fans' 'Sell The Team' movement.
Social media has been ablaze with conspiracy theories about the players backing the campaign, too, after Esteury Ruiz was optioned to Triple-A and All-Star hitter Brent Rooker was benched.
In the build-up to those roster moves, both players were seen wearing 'Last Dive Bar' wristbands.
In a statement on Thursday morning, the NBA's Sacramento Kings announced the news of the three-year move, with the option for a fourth year in 2028 should the A's new $1.5billion Vegas ballpark not be ready.
It is a 1hr 30min, 86-mile drive north to get from the Coliseum to Sutter Health Park
The City of Oakland attempted to extend the A's lease at the Coliseum (pictured) temporarily
The Kings are majority owners of the Sacramento River Cats, the five-time Pacific Coast League champions who currently occupy the park.
'I'm thrilled to welcome the A's to Sutter Health Park,' Kings owner Vivek Ranadive began, adding: '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.'
A's owner John Fisher plans to reinvent the organization in 2028 with a $1.5bn move to Vegas
Fan groups the Oakland 68s and the Last Dive Bar held a boycott in the stadium's parking lot for the A's faithful to make their displeasure known
Some fans appeared to make it onto the top of the stadium to urge Fisher to sell the team
The news of the move to Sacramento comes after an 11th-hour bid from the city of Oakland to keep the team in town by extending the stadium lease.
Citing documents ESPN said it and San Francisco television station KGO have obtained, the offer was set to be presented on Tuesday, when the city and team met for the third time since MLB owners gave their unanimous for the franchise to move to Las Vegas.
The team would have been able to opt out of the lease after three years, according to the report, but would have been required to pay the city a $97million 'extension fee' per the documents, the report said.
Despite that, the A's opted instead to continue on their pre-planned path to leave the city, and will now head to Sacramento for their interim period.
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