In a move that foreshadows their upcoming shift from the Bay Area to the desert, the Oakland Athletics have secured a deal with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). According to CBS News, the partnership makes LVCVA the team's official travel partner for the next three years. This arrangement means A's players will sport a patch showcasing Las Vegas' logo on their uniforms starting this regular season.
During a press briefing, A's owner John Fisher emphasized the significance of the visual presence of Las Vegas on the players' attire: "Every time one of our players gets up to bat now, you're going to see right in that camera shot 'Las Vegas,'" Fisher said. "For us, that's our future. Everybody, I think, is going to look at that and say, 'We can't wait.'" The team's time in Northern California is therefore limited as they plan to relocate after the 2024 season, with the hope their new Las Vegas stadium will welcome fans for the 2028 season.
The team is slated to play interim seasons at a Triple-A ballpark in West Sacramento, maintaining a presence in Northern California while their Vegas roots take hold. Fisher indicated that the LVCVA sponsorship will include additional events designed to "remind everybody on a continual basis that Las Vegas is our home and we will be here shortly," as reported by CBS News. The new partnership follows the release of updated stadium renderings and arrives concurrently with the hiring of former Raiders president Marc Badain as the club's new president.
To punctuate the announcement, four A's players, including new multi-million-dollar signees Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker, showcased the inaugural Las Vegas patches. "I think for the first time we were able to sign some of our younger stars to longer-term contracts with the idea we want them to be on our team when we move to this incredible home," Fisher elucidated. Butler, who recently secured a $65.5 million, seven-year contract, and Rooker, with his $60 million, five-year deal, anchored the representation of the team's future prospects.
Meanwhile, KTNV reported that the team's groundbreaking for the new ballpark is expected mid-year, marking a concrete step in the A's transition to Las Vegas. Until the anticipated 2028 move, the visual commitment to their intended home will be front and center with each pitch, hit, and home run, thanks to the Las Vegas sleeve patches adhered to the players' jerseys.
