The Nevada Senate cleared a hurdle Tuesday for a new A’s stadium in Las Vegas, just hours before fans in Oakland engaged in a “reverse boycott” to urge majority owner John Fisher to sell the franchise instead of relocating it.
Nevada senators voted 13-8 Tuesday afternoon to approve $380 million in taxpayer funds towards a proposed baseball stadium on the Las Vegas Strip at the site of the Tropicana hotel and casino. Fisher, estimated by Forbes to have a net worth of $2.2 billion, seeks to move the team to Las Vegas after years of failed talks to raise public funds for a new Bay Area home for the A’s, who are playing in the 57-year- old Oakland Coliseum.
The Las Vegas Journal-Review reports that Tuesday’s Senate vote was bipartisan with Democrats and Republicans voting both for and against the bill.
The A’s initially reached an agreement with Bally’s Corp. in May to build the proposed 30,000-seat stadium that’s expected to cost $1.5 billion. Tuesday’s vote by the Senate does not clear the public funding. The issue will now go to the 42-member state Assembly.
If passed by a majority in the Assembly, the bill would then go to the desk of Gov. Joe Lombardo, who supports baseball in Las Vegas and called the special session for Tuesday’s Senate vote. At that point, the A’s move to Las Vegas would require approval by 75% of MLB owners.
Meanwhile, in Oakland, fans showed up to Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays to show their support for the A’s remaining in town. A’s fan and organizer Stu Clary previously urged fans on social media to attend Tuesday’s game to “pack the Coli on a random weeknight” and show MLB “that us fans are not the problem.”
Oakland Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan voiced her support of the reverse boycott in a statement to the Associated Press Monday.
“I want to thank and appreciate the fans who organized the incredible reverse boycott for Tuesday, and encourage people to attend the A’s game tomorrow,” her statement read.
The reverse boycott arrives as attendance at A’s games continues to decline. Prior to Tuesday’s game, the A’s averaged 8,555 fans per home game, the lowest attendance in MLB for a second consecutive season. The A’s entered Tuesday with baseball’s worst record at 18-50 as Fisher has declined to invest in a winning roster. Per Spotrac, the A’s have the lowest payroll in MLB.
Fans started arriving to the parking lot in the hours prior to first pitch. Some who showed up early participated in a “Stay in Oakland” chant.
Fans in support of the reverse boycott sported green shirts emblazoned with the word “sell” in a message to Fisher that’s been repeated at home games throughout the 2023 season.
Those without “sell” shirts had the opportunity to pick one up on site.
There was also a painting station for fans to create signs.
The A’s responded to the reverse boycott by pledging to donate all gate revenue from Tuesday’s game to the Alameda County Community Food Bank and the Oakland Public Education Fund. Attendance figures weren’t immediately available at the 6:40 PT first pitch, but thousands of fans were seen waiting to get into the stadium after the game started.