Have you ever seen that episode of The Simpsons where Homer quits his job at the nuclear power plant? After playing Mr. Burns' head like a bongo drum, Homer literally burns the bridge he crosses as the Simpsons' patriarch leaves the parking lot. That's essentially what Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher is doing during what everyone assumes is the team's last season in the Bay Area.
The A's have been in negotiations with the city of Oakland for years, but have never come to terms on a new stadium deal. With no end in sight and one of the worst venues in baseball, Fisher decided to take his team over the California state line to Nevada.
Las Vegas is set to be the A's new home in 2028. Where will the A's play from 2025-2027? No one knows. But one thing we do know is that the A's are no longer rooted in Oakland. In fact, Fisher is making sure of that with the removal of the iconic sign that used to hang outside the Coliseum.
A's take next step in disrespecting Oakland with latest stadium changes
The Oakland A's have called the Oakland Coliseum home since the team's arrival in 1968. The A's were originally founded in 1901 in the City of Brotherly Love. The Philadelphia Athletics existed until the club relocated to Kansas City in 1955. After a little over a decade in KC, the A's finally moved to the Bay Area.
The slogan, "Rooted In Oakland Since '68" had been used by the A's organization since 2017. Probably not wanting to draw attention to the fact that the A's will now be rooted in Las Vegas, it appears that Fischer decided to have the sign removed.
No longer "Rooted in Oakland" since 1968. The sign coming down at Oakland Coliseum ahead of MLB opening day. #OaklandAs @nbcbayarea #SkyRanger over the #OaklandColiseum pic.twitter.com/s8sxvhEa0T
— Janelle Wang (@janellewang) February 26, 2024
The A's will still play their games in Oakland through the 2024 season, and there's a chance that the club is attempting to extend their stay through 2027 if no temporary venue becomes available. The A's are said to be investigating short-term stints in both Sacramento, California and Salt Lake City, Utah. The latter has also been mentioned as a potential location for MLB expansion.
Maybe Fisher can hang up a new sign for 2024. How about "Booted From Oakland Since '24"? Or maybe "Uprooted From Oakland In '24"? This whole relocation situation has been bungled from the start. And whether you want to focus your anger toward John Fisher, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, or the Oakland City Council, everyone throughout baseball feels sorry for the A's fans.