Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics have been in search of a new waterfront stadium in Oakland for years now, a project valued at $12 billion. With no likely suitors on the verge of a potential deal, the MLB has instructed the A’s to start the process of relocation.
Many cities have been thrown into the mix as to where the new home of the A’s should be. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred even confirmed five potential cities currently being explored, including Portland, Nashville, Las Vegas, and of course Montreal. Las Vegas would seem the most likely, given the close ties and warm welcome the NFL’s Raiders received after their recent move from Oakland to Las Vegas. Not to mention the abundance of potential buyers currently positioned in Sin City.
( Stephen Rahn / Flickr)
The fifth city on the commissioners list was our very own Vancouver, BC and Premiere John Horgan said during a press conference via the Vancouver Sun he would be more than welcome having Major League Baseball in VanCity.
“I was excited to work with the [Vancouver] Canadians when they were potentially moving out of Vancouver” says Horgan when asked about the reality of the move to Vancouver actually being possible. “Of course we need to address a whole bunch of issues before we see a ball thrown and a bat swung but if there was a prospect of bringing the MLB to Vancouver I would be right behind that”
(Werner Bayer / Flickr)
To say there are a whole bunch of issues to be addressed first is a major understatement. First of all, who is going to step up to purchase the team. The Kansas City Royals were sold for $1 Billion back in 2019, and the New York Mets sold for just under $2.5 billion in November 2020. While not impossible it seems improbable with a market like Vegas in the mix as well. Also to be considered, where would they play? BC place is incredibly versatile and has an retractable roof, but it’s no long term solution. Scheduling conflicts no doubt would become an issue with the stadium playing host to the BC Lions, Vancouver White Caps, and a potential new national sports team. Not to mention, someone has to pay for the new stadium as well!
The success and warm welcoming of the Raiders, combined with the financial stability that Las Vegas possesses makes the desert the most likely candidate, but nonetheless all cards are on the table for a potential move to Vancouver for the A’s…..eh?