Why the Athletics Won't Be a Hit Like the Golden Knights

The Oakland Athletics are making their way to Las Vegas. With all 30 MLB owners on board (along with the Commissioner, Rob Manfred), the process is underway to bring baseball to Sin City. The Tropicana is set to close on April 2, 2024, to make way for a new ballpark.

MLB executives are doing flips over having baseball in Las Vegas. All-Star Games, the World Series, and other MLB events coming to Sin City? It's enough to make Manfred shriek like a schoolgirl. Everything sounds good and dandy, right?

But here's the thing. There are many problems within this move, from Schools Over Stadiums filing a lawsuit to the team itself. The aftermath has led to a lukewarm reception in Las Vegas, with fears that the move will become disastrous.

So let's compare the Athletics' potential start in Vegas to the Golden Knights. Why are the A's doomed to fail compared to their hockey counterparts? What makes the Vegas Golden Knights special as opposed to the Athletics?

1. Ownership

John Fisher isn't the most likable person on the planet. He's run shoe-string budgets, failed to renovate Oakland Coliseum, and has raised ticket prices even when the A's have been terrible. Aside from being a punchable person, there aren't many things one can do with Fisher.

Compare that to Bill Foley, who's the pinnacle of excellence in the NHL. An honorable owner who fulfilled his promise of a Stanley Cup in six seasons, Foley has made the Vegas Golden Knights into a household name. The Golden Knights have also acquired big names in recent memory, making them the Stanley Cup favorites.

If an average sports fan was asked who'd they rather have between Fisher and Foley, Foley would win 99% of the time. The Golden Knights owner has established a winning culture in Las Vegas, making hockey matter... in a desert. Speaking of relocating...

2. The Vegas Golden Knights Are Originally From Las Vegas

Why would Las Vegas residents want another Oakland team on their hands? At least the Raiders fan base travel well, having fans in Las Vegas and California. The same can't be said for the Athletics, whose popularity resides in Oakland and its surrounding areas.

One thing Gary Bettman can claim superiority over Rob Manfred (and rightfully so) is making hockey in Las Vegas work. After awarding Foley an NHL franchise in Sin City, Bettman and company have carefully planned events in the area, ranging from having the NHL Draft in Las Vegas to the NHL All-Star Game. The NHL is even hosting the NHL Draft in the Sphere this summer.

Las Vegas is a tourist attraction, bringing in numerous visitors across the globe. It'll be difficult to grow a fan base with a team with low attendance numbers in Oakland. That's especially true with an owner like John Fisher, who's desperate to shoehorn a baseball team in the Entertainment Capital of the World. Las Vegas residents want their own team, and the response is growing every day.