The Oakland Athletics, one of the Bay Area’s most beloved professional teams, is headed for Las Vegas. After remaining in Oakland for 55 years, the Athletic franchise leaves its historic legacy in California as the team moves for the fourth time. It will join its football counterpart, the former Oakland Raiders, in Nevada.

Before moving out to the Golden State in 1968, the team was established in Philadelphia in 1901. They soon packed up and moved to Kansas City in 1955. After staying in Kansas City for 13 seasons, the Athletics moved to the new Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum where they have resided for more than 5 decades (Sports Team History). 

During their time in Oakland, the Athletics’ performance throughout the seasons fluctuated. In 1972, the Athletics started their 3 consecutive World Series victories. However, the team suffered from major losing percentages from 1982 to 1986, although the number of wins increased in 1987. This led them to compete in three World Series, including the 1989 World Series when they defeated the San Francisco Giants in the Battle of the Bay with a score of 4-0. After losing the American League Championship Series (ALCS) in 1992, the A’s experienced higher losing percentages once again. General Manager Billy Beane’s famous Moneyball theory (where getting players on base more often translates to a higher rate in runs, which can then lead to more wins) led to successful seasons in 2002 and 2003. After this theory was implemented, the Athletics managed to keep an exceptional record. However, over time, the success of the franchise started to go downhill once more. Last year, the Athletics experienced one of their worst seasons, coming in with 38 wins and 93 losses (Baseball Reference). They stand as the worst baseball team in the Major League currently. 

The ownership of the Athletics the past few years was shown to be unsuccessful. Although the payroll of the A’s is one of the lowest in the MLB, the money was unevenly distributed. Many issues such as rat infestation, sewage problems, and high ticket prices drive the passionate fans out of seats. Athletics’ owner John Fisher and commissioner Rob Manfred always wanted to keep the Athletics around in Oakland, pushing for money from the city to build a stadium by the water. After multiple failed attempts to stay, the MLB posted a statement in 2021 about the A’s relocation progress; “The Oakland Coliseum site is not a viable option for the future vision of baseball… [the] Athletics need a new ballpark to remain competitive, so it is now in our best interest to also consider other markets,” (MLB). After being sued multiple times for trying to raise money from other parties, in 2022 the Athletics finally decided to pursue a land purchase in Las Vegas (Roscher).

With their 10-year lease at the Coliseum expiring sometime after the 2024 season, this year will be the Athletics’ final one playing in the stadium. Their move has been a heartbreak for many fans in the area, but many believe it will be a chance for the Athletics to restart. “The ownership at the A’s stadium has not been at its best, so I believe the move and a new stadium will be beneficial to the team,” sophomore Andrew Bjornson said. Although the Athletics have not been as successful in previous years, they still hold a special place in people’s hearts. Junior Haydn Garfinkle, a lifelong A’s fan, is mourning over the loss of his favorite team. One memorable moment for Garfinkle was the 2019 Wild Card game when the Athletic’s faced the Tampa Bay Rays to be able to gain a spot in the playoffs; “…[We] sold out the coliseum (which is like 50,000 [in attendance]) when we made the wild card [game]. This proves there are fans here that still love the team.” Garfinkle believes the team will succeed in Las Vegas if the owner starts putting in more effort. But, “their absence will be a hole in the Bay Area,” Garfinkle said.