Oakland is in discussions with MLB to secure an expansion team, contingent on the city extending the lease for the A’s.
There’s a glimmer of hope for Oakland’s future as a potential home for a major-league baseball team and for the redevelopment of the Coliseum site.
While the Athletics are set on leaving town permanently, preliminary discussions have taken place between the Oakland Mayor’s Office and the baseball Commissioner’s Office regarding the prospect of securing Oakland an expansion team. This possibility is contingent upon the city granting the A’s a lease extension at the Coliseum.
Furthermore, Oakland is actively seeking to convince A’s owner John Fisher to sell his 50% stake in the Coliseum site to a local Oakland group with plans for significant development.
The potential outcome could involve the substantial redevelopment of the Coliseum site, potentially featuring a new ballpark for a future big-league expansion team.
Regarding the expansion team development, Leigh Hanson, chief of staff to Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, stated that the mayor’s office plans to initiate discussions with the Commissioner’s Office in the coming days. These talks are expected to build on recent dialogue between the two offices, which may have supported the recent meeting between A’s President Dave Kaval and representatives from Oakland and Alameda County to discuss lease extension and potential site sale.
While no definitive agreements were reached during the meeting, discussions will continue. The A’s currently have a lease to play at the Coliseum for the current season, but they require a temporary home for the following three seasons while their ballpark in Vegas is under construction. Maintaining their lucrative TV contract necessitates remaining in the Bay Area during this interim period, making the Coliseum the most viable option. Mayor Thao has emphasized that any lease extension granted to the A’s must offer reciprocal benefits to the city.
