The city of Las Vegas is the hottest place in sports right now as owners are beginning to realize the power of having a team in the gambling capital of the world.
The Las Vegas Raiders recognized the opportunity they had in front of them, moving from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020. While the Bay Area fans were upset at them for relocating, the Raiders took solace in the fact that they have a passionate and dedicated fanbase in nearby Southern California.
Like the Raiders, the Oakland A’s are also making the move to Sin City as it was announced that the team signed a binding contract for land in Las Vegas meant for a new ballpark. This is an undertaking several years in the making, but it looks like the MLB is finally getting a team in Las Vegas.
However, count Raiders owner Mark Davis who isn’t a fan of the A’s coming to Las Vegas via John Katsilometes of Las Vegas Review-Journal:
“I won’t forget what they did to us in Oakland. They squatted on a lease for 10 years and made it impossible for us to build on that stadium,” the Raiders owner said in a phone chat Thursday afternoon, referring to the stadium the A’s and Raiders once shared, the Oakland Coliseum.
“They were looking for a stadium. We were looking for a stadium. They didn’t want to build a stadium, and then went ahead and signed a 10-year lease with the city of Oakland and said, ‘We’re the base team.’”
Davis also criticized the A’s organization for their marketing practices:
“They marketed the team as ‘Rooted in Oakland,’ that’s been their mantra through the whole thing,” Davis said. “The slogans they’ve been using have been a slap to the face of the Raiders, and they were trying to win over that type of mentality in the Bay Area. Well all they did was f—- the Bay Area.”
“For them to leave Oakland without anything is pretty (screwed) up,” Davis said. “Because that site that the stadium was on was a good site.”
When discussing the possibility of cross-promoting their teams, Davis shot down the idea due to the A’s current management group:
“Not with that management group,” Davis said. “I just have, again, a lot of personal animosity toward the front office. But with a new management group? Absolutely.”
There’s obviously bad blood between Davis and the Athletics, but unfortunately, he’s just going to have to learn to live with them being in the same city again. Fortunately, though, there won’t be any awkward sharing of stadiums.
