Time will tell how it all works out, but I’m not convinced that history is on Las Vegas’ side.
The beer was cold. The hot dogs were boiling. The place was packed. Fireworks exploded in the sky on a sunny evening. For good measure, boxing ring announcer Bruce Buffer announced the home team’s starting lineup and starter from the mound.
It’s pomp and circumstance for the occasion. Baseball in Vegas hits differently — and the question is whether that difference can last.
That’s what happened this week when the vagabond Athletics kicked off a six-game series in Las Vegas, their future home in 2028. It’s a soft opener to the real deal coming up, a chance for locals to get acclimated to the home team. Some may already know players who suited up for the A’s Triple-A affiliate in that same ballpark.
The A’s sold out all three games against the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers, and they took the series by winning the last two after dropping a wild 15-14 opener on Monday night at Las Vegas Ballpark, home of the Las Vegas Aviators. They’ll face the perennially doormat Colorado Rockies this weekend to close out the Las Vegas series.
That said, it remains to be seen if the Athletics will have a final Vegas tuneup next season, with Major League Baseball potentially facing a lockout that could wipe out 2027. If so, the next time we see the A’s in Vegas will likely be at their beautiful new stadium on the Strip.
Yes, the Athletics will draw well in the first two years, thanks to novelty, transplants, and travelers. Plus, they should be competing for the division and the AL pennant after locking up stars such as Jacob Wilson, Brent Rooker, Lawrence Butler, and Tyler Soderstrom. You can expect them to keep Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers by the time they arrive in Vegas.
But all good things can come to an end; just ask the Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies. They drew well when they first entered the majors in 1993, then fans stopped caring once the losing started. That means the A’s need Vegas Golden Knights-like success for locals to fully embrace them.
A’s owner John Fisher has committed to keeping his young stars with long-term deals, but he’ll have to do more than that. When the team moves to Sin City, he must show he’s truly all-in on building a championship contender. It’s hard to believe he’s that guy — he never demonstrated it during his time in Oakland or with MLS’s San Jose Earthquakes.
Oakland tolerated a competitive small-market team playing in a dilapidated stadium. Las Vegas will demand more, and its future is in the hands of locals, and whether locals they will embrace the A’s.
The same was said about the NHL. The Golden Knights responded with immediate success, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in Year 1, followed by a championship, and another Final appearance. Fans support them because owner Bill Foley spends to build a winner every year. Plus, the Knights are homegrown, the first major pro team born in town, creating real grassroots loyalty.
It’s hard to believe locals will abandon the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, and Los Angeles Dodgers just because the A’s have arrived. The A’s will need to cultivate a new generation of fans — especially kids — and that will take time. Will there be patience for that process?
One thing against the As is how outsiders tend to view Las Vegas — as big a market city, like New York or Los Angeles. Far from it, it’s one of the smallest media major markets in the nation. How small? It’s #40 nationally according to the U.S. TV Database. Columbus, OH, is larger.
Time will tell how it all works out, but I’m not convinced that history is on Las Vegas’ side.
