Oakland A's preparing application for relocation

The Oakland Athletics have begun the process of officially applying to Major League Baseball for relocation, writes Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. It’s unclear how long they’ll need before they can officially put their relocation efforts up for a vote.

This is no surprise, of course. Nevada lawmakers signed off on the A’s request for $380M in public funding last week as part of their efforts to construct a $1.5 billion stadium on the Vegas Strip. That approval permitted the A’s to turn their attention to the league office, the last step in their move to depart Oakland for Southern Nevada.

Once finalized, the application will go in front of a three-owner relocation committee. After review, that committee makes its recommendations to league officials and other owners for a vote. If 75 percent of ownership groups sign off, the A’s will finalize their move to Las Vegas. That is all expected to represent an easy final hurdle for the organization. With commissioner Rob Manfred backing the A’s efforts while indicating the league is prepared to waive the franchise’s relocation fee, there’s little intrigue about the results of the forthcoming vote.

The A’s lease at RingCentral Coliseum runs through the end of next season. Akers wrote last week the club had not yet made any effort to break the lease, suggesting they’re likely to play in Oakland for one more year. The permanent Las Vegas facility is not expected to be ready until the start of the 2028 campaign, leaving the franchise to figure out temporary options for home games between 2025-27.