John Fisher’s team needs a place to play in 2025.
It is back to speaking face to face for executives of Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics franchise and officials from the city of Oakland. The two sides will not be talking about finishing the Howard Terminal project that would have produced a stadium-village for the Athletics’ franchise owner John Fisher. It is more than likely the two sides will discuss the possibility of Fisher being able to work out a lease extension with Oakland officials that would allow Fisher to keep his business in Oakland until a Las Vegas stadium is built for the Fisher Athletics sometime around 2028. Fisher’s associates have looked at setting up shop in South Jordan, Utah, Summerlin, Nevada, Reno, Nevada and Sacramento. There is a third party that could be very interested in the meeting between Fisher’s group and Oakland officials. NBC Sports California. The Comcast-owned local regional sports network is paying Fisher $70 million annually for his product and if Fisher moves out of the San Francisco Bay Area market, that $70 million evaporates into thin air. So Fisher, despite professing his love for Las Vegas, has reasons to remain in the Bay Area until 2027. The likelihood of Fisher getting that type of television money in Las Vegas or running the business as a travelling show until a Las Vegas ballpark is opened is slim or none.
On April 19th, 2023, Fisher announced that his business was moving to Las Vegas. On November 16th, 2023, Major League Baseball owners greenlighted Fisher’s plan to move to Las Vegas. Initially it was thought Fisher would open the door of his new Las Vegas ballpark in 2027, that has been pushed back to 2028. Fisher has 70 million reasons to stay put for the time being. Oakland can make some money by keeping Fisher in town for a few more years. Fisher needs Oakland financially more than Oakland needs Fisher.
