Understanding the Big Picture Before Assigning Full Blame: The Lost Opportunity with the Oakland A’s
Abstract
Despite operating in Oakland, California since the 1960s, the A’s have received Major League Baseball (MLB) approval to permanently move operations to Las Vegas in 2028. Though most fans and media members have placed the blame for the move on A’s primary owner John Fisher, a detailed analysis indicates that at least some of the blame for the A’s leaving their long-time home should be attributed to MLB and the MLB Players’ Association as they failed to recognize opportunities for the A’s to remain in the Bay Area and for the entire baseball industry to increase their short and long-term financial prospects. This paper provides information regarding MLB territorial rules, the history of the A’s situation, and pertinent MLB revenue and salary data to indicate that the A’s Las Vegas move is not only heartbreaking for long-time A’s fans but also a lost opportunity for the entire professional baseball industry.
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