Oakland Athletics announce new brand transition guidelines following move to West Sacramento
Although it was inevitable, the Oakland Athletics are no more. According to MLB insider Evan Drellich, the franchise has released its branding plans for the club as they make the transition to Sacramento for the upcoming season.
It has been a major story throughout the past few years; however, the decision to rebrand the franchise is a key step in the Athletics' move away from Oakland. Drellich revealed the club's rebranding plans on X, with the team set to be known simply as the Athletics, all but ending their rich history in the city of Oakland.
While they will no longer use Oakland, there are a few things that will remain the same as the team makes the move to West Sacramento. The club's secondary nickname will remain the A's, and the logo will be the same.
Another notable change is the abbreviation that will be used. When the team was still the Oakland A's, the three-letter abbreviation was OAK, but now, they will be represented by ATH.
The American League West will look different next season, as the A's will play their home games at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California. The move is supposed to be temporary as the club's owner, John Fisher, is focused on a move to the Las Vegas Strip.
Athletics owner John Fisher pledges $1 billion towards the team's potential stadium in Las Vegas
While the A's are expected to make the long-publicized move to Las Vegas before 2028, the financial details around the stadium have yet to be finalized. The former Tropicana Hotel, across the street from MGM Grand, has already been demolished and the area is being cleared for construction.
According to club executive Sandy Dean, Fisher and his family will put $1 billion towards building the team's new stadium. The long, relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas is far from complete, even though it has been approved by the MLB owners.
It remains to be seen when construction will begin; however, the goal remains to have it completed and functional before the beginning of the 2028 regular season.