Major League Baseball (MLB) would not impose a relocation fee on the Oakland Athletics if the franchise opts to move to Las Vegas, according to multiple reports.
The assessment – which has been reported by the New York Post and the Las Vegas Review-Journal, citing sources – removes a key hurdle to a potential move. In comparison, the NFL’s Raiders had to pay a $378m fee to relocate from Oakland to Las Vegas two years ago.
There are renewed doubts about whether the team, commonly known as the “Oakland A’s”, will stay in Oakland.
This season, the team’s average attendance at RingCentral Coliseum is approximately 8,350 per game – the lowest in MLB. The ballpark has been the team’s home since relocating to California from Kansas City in 1968, and the A’s have been trying in vain to secure a new stadium for several years.
Oakland City Council is in ongoing talks with the franchise about a proposed new 35,00-seat waterfront ballpark.
Earlier this year, the local authority voted to approve the environmental impact report for the potential $12bn complex (pictured), which would include affordable housing, public parks, office space, a 3,500-seat performance venue, hotel rooms and 8,900 parking spaces.
In October, the City of Oakland’s long-running battle to keep the A’s, its last remaining major league sports franchise, were boosted after the Alameda County Board of Supervisors opted into a plan that would clear the path for the new ballpark.
Image: Oakland A’s
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