The Athletics announced Monday that they’ve moved their Triple-A club from Nashville to Las Vegas, forging a partnership with the Vegas 51s for the first season of their newly constructed stadium. It’s a two-year deal partnership between the two sides, and while that’s a fairly short term, the two sides could easily extend that player development contract (PDC) for another two to four seasons after the 2020 campaign, as is frequently the case.
Las Vegas had previously been home to the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate, but the Mets purchased the Syracuse Chiefs last winter with the intention of moving their Triple-A club to a considerably more favorable location (geographically speaking).
Oakland was one of five organizations reported to be facing a potential relocation of its top affiliate, and the move to Vegas will now leave Nashville as one of four potential partner cities for the remaining clubs. Notably, the Nationals were reported to have interest in partnering with Nashville, now that their former Syracuse location is home to the Mets’ top affiliate.
For the A’s, they’ll step into a newly constructed facility in Summerlin — about 13 miles from the Las Vegas Strip. Richard Velotta and Betsy Helfand of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported last year that construction costs on Las Vegas Ballpark, the stadium’s formal name, would total $150MM.
“It is an incredibly exciting time to partner with the Las Vegas 51s,” said Athletics executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane in the press release accompanying the announcement. “Their ownership group is committed to providing a first-class environment for our players, which includes the grand opening of the Las Vegas Ballpark for the inaugural season of our affiliation. We’re looking forward to working closely with Don Logan and his staff as we both work towards putting a championship club on the field.”
“The new PDC will provide a tremendous environment for the players with the state-of-the-art amenities that will enhance player development with the indoor hitting cages, mounds and workout areas in the Las Vegas Ballpark,” 51s president and COO Don Logan said in a statement of his own. “…McCarran International Airport has non-stop flights to the numerous [Pacific Coast League] markets, as well as the big cities, that enables our team to have the best travel in the 16-team league. This will be a great situation for our fans to watch top prospects in the A’s system as well as players on Major League rehabilitation assignments showcase their talents in the Las Vegas Ballpark.”
What happens in Vegas… Lol
I wonder how much of the OAKLAND Raiders’ move to Las Vegas has to do with this… It can’t be coincidence… Can it?
Yes, yes it can.
I’m not suggesting the A’s are going to move to a different state or anything. (That’d be a slap in the face to their fans) I just find it strange. Raiders did get $750 million in publicly issued tax-exempt bonds (largest ever) to incentivize them to move, but still find it kind of strange!
I’m sure it’s purely a coincidence. Sounds like the A’s were going to have the choice of Fresno or Vegas.
100% coincidental. Movement was happening anyway this year.
And the dominos start falling… Washington will move their AAA to Nashville, and the Brewers will have to be in… Fresno? Yikes.
Natural fit. Just like Vegas, the A’s have always been about playing the numbers!
It’s worth mentioning that the team will no longer be called the 51s. Along with the new ballpark they are also going with a new name/logo/etc. Supposed to be announced soon
Yep. Aviators
As a native of Syracuse I take offense to your “geographically speaking” comment. Have you ever been here ??? If not, STFU before you make baseless claims.
Chill nerd
Dang it really do be like that sometimes.
They don’t think it be like it is, but it do.
No comparison to vegas.
I love that we’ve reached an age on the Internet where I can’t tell if this is genuine outrage or faux outrage mocking the extraordinary amount of genuine outrage that permeates the ol’ worldwide web. Regardless, I shall bite:
1. I have indeed been to Syracuse! Yes! I even enjoyed myself there.
2. Regardless of whether one has visited Syracuse or not, it seems pretty easy to call a 264-mile gap between the Mets and their AAA affiliate a geographically superior arrangement to the the 2500-mile gap they currently face.
It was not a knock on Syracuse, which I found rather enjoyable. Nor is it a statement of any superiority in relation to Vegas, which I love but find to be far too hot (to say nothing of the fact that I can only stay there for a max of 72-96 hours before sensory overload shuts my brain down).
Wow guy chill. Everyone is so sensitive these days over EVERYTHING. He was saying it’s more favorable geographically and nothing else. He wasn’t saying that it was better or worse than Las Vegas. He put the “geographically speaking” so not to offend either city. That it was strictly about geography. Toughen up there snowflake. Sheesh.
What’s wrong with this guy? The article is clearly indicating the Mets wanted to relocate closer to NYC, Syracuse puts them in range.
I think that comment is a reference to the proximity of Syracuse to NYC as compared to Las Vegas. Actually I can say with certainty that’s what he meant….
Ummmmm, Triggered! Reread the article and take context into account this time. I have been to Syracuse and in either context the writer’s statement would be correct. so who is the one that really needs to STFU?!!!
Syracuse? More like Sorry Excuse for a town
Outside of Dinosaur BBQ there is literally no reason to go to Syracuse. Unless you clean up Superfund sites.
*You* shut up before you make baseless claims lmao
Syracuse is an arm pit. Shame on you for defending it like its some beach-front property in Southern California. I’d rather live with the goats in Kundajar before moving from Cali to Syracuse. Now go ahead and get upset
He’s been upset since Dundee Mifflin closed their Syracuse branch.
Do you want some cheese with your whine?
The A’s get a new stadium!
Not the first time As have moved into a new minor league stadium in its first year. When the As moved from Sacramento to Nashville the Nashville Sound, at that time, just got a brand new stadium as well.
Now they are joining the Raiders to Las Vegas! :P
Yessir. Athletic VEG-ASS Elephants coming soon!!!!! Billy Beane FTW. LOL
You forgot a space between 13 and miles
You forgot proper punctuation to end your useless commentary.
Thanks. Fixed.
No, the troll’s period is still missing.
Quick! someone get the e.p.t.
Vegas… how many MLB teams is that now? 29?
6, less than many minor league affiliates.
Why do teams change minor league affiliates, and does the team cover the cost for the players to relocate?
Minor League teams have their own front office and ownership not affiliated with a major league team. So they sign PDCs to get MLB teams to loan them players. Just like every other contract when that is up ownership has the option to sign again or sign another team. If the MLB team loans them 20 guys they minor league affiliate can sign other guys (not under contract) to their own team to fill out the roster. Minor league teams are glorified independent ball teams in a way.
That’s actually not correct. Minor league hockey clubs work that way, but affiliated minor league baseball teams do not sign ANY of their own players. The MLB club provides (and pays) the entire 25-man roster along with coaching staff (at min a Manager, pitching coach, hitting coach, trainer and strength coach). Many also provide an additional coach (bench coach, base coach) and a video guy who sometimes is a seasonal employee or intern. The local minor league team provides the front office staff who sells seats, operates the ballpark, team store, as well as the clubhouse ops staff. MLB and the minor league clubs split costs of team travel, hotels, and equipment.
Can we move the Mets and all their minor league teams to Antarctica?
It would be interesting to see if there is still a salvageable relationship there between the Brewers and Nashville. I may be mistaken, but I believe Nashville dumped Milwaukee right after the Sounds completed their ballpark renovation..
Springfield,IL? In Iowa? St. Paul Minnesota have the Saints their.
A’s if move Orlando on top of list maybe but Tampa Bay might want to go their.
Same exact situation happened between Fresno and Oakland, I believe
That one just played itself out once again too, it seems – with Oakland skipping on the chance to be back in Fresno near their parent club, and instead choosing Las Vegas
Would likely play out similarly in Nashville; although it is moot anyway, as Washington seems destined for that city
Flights are cheap to Vegas but its much harder getting flights out of Fresno. Vegas is also closer to their training facility in Arizona. From a money stand point much more economical than Fresno.
The flight situation has impacted Fresno. AAA teams do not charter planes- they fly commercial. Which means that unless they’re going to Sacramento, Vegas or Reno (all bus trips for Fresno), the team has to take two flights to get anywhere else – a flight to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix or Denver then a connection onward to the city they’re playing in. And when you are traveling outbound the day the series starts that means you’re a ‘show and go’ (no time for BP) the first day in to most cities. Not great for development. The Brewers looking likely to end up with Fresno as the last team standing after the other switches. That’s how they’ve been in Colorado Springs. They didn’t chose to go there, they were stuck with it after Nashville gave them the boot.
The Oakland, CA Athletics’ organization has NEVER had an affiliate based out of the Fresno area. The S.F., CA Giants (who DID) are not the same organization as the Athletics. Both organizations have been around four a bit of time.
You are correct. I remember it as well Brewers helped Nashville sort of build the stadium but Nashville didnt resign Milwaukee. Milwaukee front office was not to happy about it either
A’s should just move back to Philadelphia
Isn’t having an AAA team in Las Vegas a gamble?
HA HA HA HA HA!!! See what I did there?
It was a crap shoot either way
The odds were against them staying
The As did employ Kenny Rogers at one point
That chicken tho.
It’s the wood that makes it good !
No. Could you explain it for me?
And now the AAA team has a nicer stadium than the major league team haha
Unrelated side note….I wish the “A’s” would go back to calling themselves by their actual team name, which is the “Athletics.” The “A’s” sounds so stupid.
It’d be like the Cubs calling themselves the “C’s” or the Yankees calling themselves the “Y’s.” So dumb.
I liked Devil Ray’s better too.
The As never put Athletics on their jerseys until 1954. Before then it was an A on the jersey and the cap. When the organization started in 1860 it was named after a the Philadelphia Athletic Club which had a black A as the logo. The “Athletics” in your case have been known as the “As” for about 150 years…
For the sake of your arguments the Mets shouldnt be called the Mets, they should be the Metropolitans. The arguments for the “Cs”or the “Ys” are stupid
Would be comical to see Los Angeles have to put “Trolley Dodgers” across their chest though, I will admit
Yea, same here. “Devil Rays” was a bad@$$ name.
Reds back to the Red Stockings? Mets back to the Metropolitans? Dodgers back to the Trolly Dodgers? hmmm your logic may be a tad lost.
When they let all the stud athletes go and went moneyball, they were no longer Atheltic. Just As.
I see Mets radio moving to WCBS 880.
They come in better than WOR 710 up here.
Ok I live about twenty miles from Syracuse. The”geographically speaking” comment is totally appropriate. While Central NY may offer some beautiful areas Syracuse is not one of them. Even the Mets assured themselves that they can relocate in 2025.
Mostly farm country in central ny and Finger Lakes like Seneca and Cayuga. Guess Ithaca is one of those “beautiful areas” but all the gray (grey lol) weather in ny and lake effect cancels out most of the “beauty” IMO. lol
That said, Syracuse still has that major Mall, has to count for something, right? ha ha. Not a bad little city overall, has some hiking and a lake etc.
Perhaps the Mets have their eye on Rochester? Currently linked up with the Twins. When is that PDA up for renewal?
Mets bought the Syracuse club. They’ll be there indefinitely unless they sell it.
You are correct. Just as they bought the Eastern League Williamsport franchise, relocated it to Binghamton in 1992 where it is still the Mets AA franchise. And this Syracuse ALSo gives the Mets a chance to move players up and down in a geographically convenient manner. Closer for the big league guys to monitor in person ball players on 20 day minor league rehab assignments. This just makes sense.
The Mets sold Binghamton over a decade ago, but the local owners they sold it to have renewed with them each time the PDC comes up.
The Mets were thrilled to get out of Las Vegas. The weather is debilitating on the players, the environment makes player evaluation very difficult and the location was ridiculous. The Rockies Double=A team is in Hartford which isn’t quite as bad because teams seldom use the Double-A team as their taxi squad but it is still a long haul from the Rockies other affiliates in Lancaster, CA and Albuquerque, NM. The Red Sox have an ideal set-up with both top farm clubs a short car hop away.
The Mets never wanted Las Vegas and they were the last team without a seat when the music stopped last time. And yes, like Portland AA and Pawtucket/Worcester AAA 2021 Red Sox, the Mets can now find it easier to move guys up and down and take a look when their AA or AAA report comes in saying “ you have to see this guy”.
Agreed. Actually thought getting out of Rhode Island was wise. No need to be there in Pawtucket, honestly. Solid name, but basically MA anyways, good or bad. Plus, setting up a AAA location in Worcester is great for the state, and gives residents of the 2nd largest city in MA something sports wise to go watch and enjoy locally in town.
The Worcester area had a MiLB team just a few years back and could not get decent crowds… they have a lot to prove. Pawtucket is close to Boston, offered to pay millions to build a new downtown stadium and has been an affiliate of Boston’s for a half-century.
Uh oh, maybe a SIGN of things to come with the Athletics possible (arena) relocation….. ;) lol. That said, sounds like this stadium is MUCH NICER than the toilet arena (Raiders land) where the A’s play now, lmao. If the stadium in vegAss is worth 150 million, that’s 150 million MORE than the Coliseum is valued at currently, ha ha. I would normally side with the A’s over the new yawk (relocated) little giants presently in san fran, but san fran DID win a bunch of WS Titles (tied with the BoSox for most in MLB during the 21st Century) even though it WAS in the weak NL. Still has to count for something. Most fans of these 2 rivals dislike one another, maybe time for a change? Can still keep the rivalry alive, especially from vegAss. Plus, they can cheat easier from sin city, hahahaha.
Uh, you THINK that it’s a sign(?) The Athletics have already announced their intentions to have a new MLB stadium in the Oakland area for the 2023 season. Nostradamus, you aren’t.
This would be a win for everybody. Mets, Nats, and A’s.