Oakland A's to join forces with Elon Musk over Las Vegas Loop Project
The Oakland A’s are working with some pretty big partners in an effort to move the MLB franchise to Las Vegas. News reported in April indicates the club is working with Elon Musk’s The Boring Company in an effort to help transport fans to the new stadium.
According to a report from KTLA, the A’s have been in communication with The Boring Company, which is tasked with creating underground tunnels in Vegas. The goal is to have a stop at the stadium.
“We spoke to Steve Davis at The Boring Company,” said team president Dave Kaval. “And yes, a stop is in our future. Maybe two.”
The A’s have been working towards a move to Las Vegas for months. Earlier this week, the Nevada senate approved of the funding for a $380 million project for a baseball stadium by a vote of 13-8. But that’s not the only step.
A 42-person Nevada Assembly must approve it by a majority vote, which would lead to Gov. Joe Lombardo signing the bill into law. MLB owners then plan to authorize the Athletics’ move to Las Vegas and end the franchise’s 55-year tenure in Oakland.
The total cost of the ballpark is expected to be in the neighborhood of $1.5 billion.
Oakland A’s fans show up for ‘reverse boycott’
Fans in Oakland want to show the MLB they still love the franchise. They also want to prove that ownership, and not fandom, has resulted in a poor product on the field.
Earlier this week, more than 27,000 A’s fans arrived at Oakland Coliseum for a “reverse boycott,” for a game against the Tampa Bay Rays (ironically the best team in baseball currently). The goal was to show MLB that fans still had a deep passion for the organization.
The 27,759 attendance figure for Tuesday’s game against the Rays was the largest for the A’s in the 2023 regular season. It also tripled the average attendance number, which totals a meager 8,555, per ESPN.
Oakland reached the MLB postseason every year from 2018-20. Though they missed the playoffs in 2021, the A’s still owned a winning record, finishing 86-76.
Last year, Oakland posted a 60-102 mark. So far this season, the team has jockeyed with Kansas City for the worst record in baseball.