Athletics casing out Las Vegas for potential relocation?

After the Raiders relocated from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020, the Athletics just might be doing the exact same thing.

Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Monday that the Athletics emailed fans of the Las Vegas Aviators, their Triple-A affiliate, with a survey. The survey was intended to gauge the local interest in the Athletics potentially moving to Las Vegas and building a new ballpark there.

Check out a screenshot of the email, which made clear that no decisions about relocation or the building of a new ballpark have been made yet.

The Oakland A’s are emailing Aviators fans, asking them to fill out a survey gauging local fan interest in the A’s possibly relocating to LV and building a new ballpark. #vegas #oakland #MLB pic.twitter.com/RwnNwDNrZN

— Mick Akers (@mickakers) November 1, 2021

The survey also mentioned that the Athletics are targeting an area “on or near the Las Vegas Strip” for a possible new ballpark.

The Athletics have been in Oakland since 1968, bringing four World Series titles to the city over that span. The team’s lease at their current home, the RingCentral Coliseum, runs through 2024.

Relocation is uncommon in Major League Baseball. The Montreal Expos becoming the Washington Nationals in 2005 was the last time it happened. The Athletics are also the last major pro team standing in Oakland after the Raiders left and the Golden State Warriors moved to nearby San Francisco.

Las Vegas is quickly becoming a popular pro sports hub. In addition to the Raiders, they are home to the NHL’s Golden Knights and the WNBA’s Aces. The Athletics moving there as well would not be too surprising. We already knew relocation was a possibility after Oakland’s recent stadium drama.

Oct 1, 2020; Oakland, California, USA; The video board displays A’s win! after the Oakland Athletics win against the Chicago White Sox at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports