A Sacramento-based radio host, Carmichael Dave, has reported that the Oakland Athletics are seriously considering moving to Sutter Health Park in the interim between 2025-2027. Sutter Health Park is the home of the Giants' Triple-A affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats.
Despite having recently met with the City of Oakland and Alameda County about a potential lease extension at the Coliseum, no agreement is in place and the A's still don't have a concrete plan for those three years.
While there doesn't seem to be any serious sourcing on this idea, it's still interesting to think about. We've covered the idea of the Athletics moving to Sacramento in depth, and there are pros and cons to it.
The biggest thing standing in the way of a potential move to Sacramento is that Sutter Health Park is outside of the boundary for the Athletics to receive their nearly $70 million per year from NBC Sports California for the A's television broadcast rights.
There's nothing to suggest that owner John Fisher would seriously consider walking away from that money, even if there would be a way to restructure the deal for a smaller payout from the RSN.
There's also the major issue that Sutter Health Park isn't equipped for MLB level competition. There would almost certainly need to be adjustments made to the locker room and facilities to ensure compliance with MLBPA standards. It's unclear whether Fisher would be willing to foot the bill for that type of project.
Despite those issues, Sacramento does make some sense
Unlike the minor league stadiums in Las Vegas and Utah, the one in Sacramento is relatively close to the Athletics' current home in Oakland. It's still 2 hours away and not a quick drive, but it would theoretically be easier for players and staff than trying to relocate to another state for the upcoming three years.
There's also the thought that the team could renegotiate the RSN broadcast rights contract, allowing the team to keep a portion of that money coming in. The team wouldn't be able to do so in either Las Vegas or Utah due to boundary restrictions for the RSN.
Ultimately, it seems unlikely that the A's will move to Sacramento. The most probable path forward is the team working out a deal with the city to allow them to stay at the Coliseum for the next three years, probably at an increased rental rate and including a few extra provisions.
The city doesn't have much to gain in these negotiations and we've already heard quotes from the mayors office about specific things they'd be looking for, including rights to the stadium after Fisher leaves and trying to secure an expansion franchise when that process starts.
It's still an uphill battle for both sides, as neither wants to give in. The Athletics have fought an unfair fight during this relocation process and the city is rightfully jaded about it.
We'll see what happens in the upcoming months. The A's will have to finalize their plans before summer as the league will have to release a preliminary 2025 schedule and they need to know where the A's will play. We're bound to get an answer soon. Regardless of what it is, it won't be pretty.