The Oakland Athletics don't really live in Oakland anymore. If you've been following the saga, you know the team is currently shacking up at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, waiting for their permanent home on the Las Vegas Strip to materialize. But as we crawl through January 2026, the "temporary" vibes are starting to feel a lot more permanent, and the news coming out of the front office is a weird mix of stadium blueprints and legal headaches.
Honestly, it's a mess.
Between trademark rejections and the reality of a $2 billion construction project, there is plenty of Oakland Athletics news and rumors to digest. If you’re an A's fan—or what’s left of the fanbase—you're likely looking at the 2026 season with a mix of curiosity and dread. Here is what is actually happening on the ground in Sacramento and the dirt being moved in Nevada.
The Las Vegas Trademark Snag: You Can't Own the Name?
Earlier this month, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) threw a massive wrench into John Fisher’s branding plans. The team tried to register "Las Vegas Athletics," but the feds basically said, "Nah."
The reasoning is pretty funny if you aren't an A's executive. The USPTO ruled that "Athletics" is a generic term for sports and "Las Vegas" is just a place. When you put them together, it's "primarily geographically descriptive." Essentially, they’re saying the name is too boring to be protected.
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This isn't just a paperwork annoyance. Without a trademark, fighting off knock-off merchandise becomes a nightmare. If anyone can print a shirt that says "Las Vegas Athletics" because the team doesn't "own" the phrase in that market yet, that is a huge hit to the bottom line. Trademark attorney Josh Gerben noted that it’s "borderline odd" for a pro franchise to hit this wall. The team will likely appeal, but for now, they are a team without a locked-in identity in their future home.
Stadium Progress and the $2 Billion Price Tag
While the lawyers argue about names, the construction crews are actually doing work at the old Tropicana site. We’re officially in the "pouring concrete" phase. By late December 2025, crews were pumping concrete into the six massive columns that will eventually hold up the roof.
It's a tight squeeze.
The stadium is being jammed onto about nine acres of the 35-acre site. The rest of that land? That belongs to Bally’s. They just released plans for a 3,000-room resort with two luxury towers that will wrap around the ballpark.
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- The Cost: The budget has ballooned. We started at $1.5 billion, and now we’re staring at a **$2 billion** bill.
- The Funding: John Fisher is reportedly leaning on a $300 million loan from U.S. Bank and Goldman Sachs, plus $350 million in public money. The rest is supposed to come from Fisher’s own pocket, though rumors about him seeking more investors never truly die.
- The Timeline: They are still insisting on a 2028 Opening Day. But in Vegas construction time, that’s tomorrow.
Sacramento Life: The Heat and the New Threads
The 2026 season will be the team’s second year in West Sacramento. Last year was a learning experience, mostly involving the fact that Sacramento is hot. Like, "melting into the turf" hot.
To deal with this, the A's are shifting their schedule. They’ll play 53 night games at Sutter Health Park this year, with 47 of those starting at 6:40 p.m. local time. They’ve also leaned into the temporary identity by announcing new yellow jerseys with "Sacramento" across the chest. It’s a peace offering to the local fans who are paying Major League prices to sit in a Triple-A stadium.
Interestingly, they aren't playing all 81 home games in Cali. They’re taking a "business trip" to Las Vegas Ballpark (the Triple-A park in Summerlin) for six games in June against the Brewers and Rockies. Think of it as a trial run to see if Vegas fans will actually show up when it’s 110 degrees outside.
Roster Rumors: Who’s Actually Playing?
The A's roster is, as usual, a revolving door of "who's that?" and "oh, I remember him!" But there have been some actual moves this winter.
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- The Big Extension: They actually spent money. Tyler Soderstrom signed a seven-year extension through 2032. It’s a rare move for this ownership, signaling they want at least one "face of the franchise" when they hit the Strip.
- The Jeff McNeil Trade: Getting McNeil from the Mets was the "splash" of the offseason. He brings a veteran bat to a lineup that is incredibly young.
- The Pitching Problem: This is where the rumors get spicy. FanGraphs projections for 2026 are... grim. Only three pitchers (Jack Perkins, Brady Basso, and Mark Leiter Jr.) are projected to have an ERA under 4.00. Rumor has it the A's are kicking the tires on guys like Chris Bassitt or Nick Martinez to provide some veteran stability. They need someone who won't get shelllocked in the Sacramento summer.
- International Kids: They just dropped $4 million on Johenssy Colome, a shortstop prospect from the DR. He's years away, but he’s the kind of high-ceiling kid the A's are betting their future on.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Move
There’s a common narrative that the Vegas move is a "done deal" and everything is smooth sailing. It isn't. The financing is still a point of contention in Nevada courts, and the "Schools Over Stadiums" group is still trying to block the public funding.
Also, the "Oakland" part of the name is technically still there, but for how long? If they can't trademark "Las Vegas Athletics," do they just stay "The A's" indefinitely? It’s a weird, nameless limbo.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're trying to keep up with this mess, don't just check the standings. The real game is being played in courtrooms and construction sites.
- Watch the Clark County Commission: They vote on the development agreements. If these get delayed, the 2028 move-in date evaporates.
- Monitor the Waiver Wire: The A's just lost Ken Waldichuk to the Braves on waivers. Expect more of this "roster churning" as they try to find cheap arms that can survive Sutter Health Park.
- Check the Vegas Ballpark Series: Tickets for those June games in Vegas will be the real litmus test for whether the city actually wants this team or if they're just another tourist attraction.
The 2026 season kicks off April 3rd against the Astros in Sacramento. Whether the team on the field is as chaotic as the front office remains to be seen.