The A’s announcement that they’ve made a binding agreement to buy land in Las Vegas suggests they could be on the move.
Recent crowds — even worse than usual — indicate folks believe it, too.
But buying a parcel and actually moving are different. Oakland diehards, including former A’s who loved their time there, aren’t ready to concede, and they may be right.
The game is far from over, as they don’t have funding in Las Vegas yet, either.
And who’s to say Las Vegas residents want them when that city (and Nashville) are the most logical spots for expansion?
“I’m still not ready to say it’s over,” said Mets outfielder Mark Canha, the longtime A’s player. “They’ve been talking about all this stuff for years and years and years. I’ll still believe it when I see it. I’m not ready to give up hope on those people.”
Those people, ultra loyal A’s fans, have remained through thick and (lately) very thin.
“I appreciate every second I got to play in front of those fans,” Canha said. “I always said what the Coliseum lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. … They are a very passionate people. They have a lot of pride for their city. It will be really sad if it does happen.”
Braves star Matt Olson, another former A’s player, also isn’t ready to give up.
“You hear something new every six months that’s a breaking news thing, then everything stays the same. So I think you are not going to put much weight on whatever’s being said,” Olson said. “It was always a good fan base. You feel bad for the fans if it is going to be the case.”
The former A’s said they treasure their time there.
Though they recall the good times only a couple years ago, they see what’s happening now.
“I feel for the fans. I know how diehard they are,” said Sean Murphy, a longtime A’s player now starring for Atlanta. “I’m not attuned to all the politics there. But at the end of the day I feel for all those people.”
