Would you drop MLB fandom to support a Sacramento team? What ballpark-goers said
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Some Sacramento fans say they would switch longstanding loyalty to a new MLB team.
- The Sacramento Pitch seeks public funding, $800 million and private investments.
- Manfred wants an expansion plan in place before his expected 2029 retirement.
On April 18, 1968, Randy Keil sat in the stands at the Oakland Coliseum to watch the Athletics’ second-ever game in their iconic former home.
Just over 58 years later, Keil, now 74 and a resident of Orangevale in Sacramento County, showed up to Sutter Health Park on Friday just like he was back at the Coliseum, which he regularly attended for decades, rooting for the A’s.
But if regional officials get their wish and West Sacramento becomes home of an MLB expansion franchise, Keil said his decades-long loyalty would switch.
“Oh yeah, I’d root for a Sacramento team,” Keil said before Friday’s 8-2 loss to the Yankees. “The A’s are going to leave. I don’t even know if we could watch them on TV anymore.”
On Thursday, a variety of Sacramento-area leaders officially announced their bid for a team in a campaign called The Sacramento Pitch, saying that with public funding, $800 million in land and private investments, and the city’s time temporarily hosting the A’s, Sacramento can be a permanent home for the league.
Is Sacramento viable?
While the MLB has not officially begun the process of expansion, the league’s commissioner Rob Manfred has said he wants a plan for expansion in place — including cities selected — before he retires, which is expected in 2029. Among other likely candidates in the West are Salt Lake City and Portland.
Already home to the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, USL Championship League soccer club Sacramento Republic FC and the River Cats who also call Sutter Health Park home, Sacramento has proven it can support major sports teams. The Kings draw well in attendance despite making the playoffs just once in the last 20 years and the River Cats have led minor league baseball in attendance 10 times in 26 seasons, as stakeholders speaking in Thursday’s expansion bid announcement pointed out.
Over 1.6 million people live in Sacramento County, according to census data, and the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto media market is bigger than seven markets that already have a MLB team.
“I think it has all the tools necessary to provide for a major league team to play here, for sure,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said of Sacramento earlier this month.
Attendance, excitement on the rise
Jeffrey Shelton, 58, of Rocklin, grew up in the Bay Area going to A’s and San Francisco Giants games regularly. Having moved away from the Bay years ago, Shelton said it has been “incredible” having a team so close.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Shelton said. “It’s Major League Baseball this close.”
Knowing that the A’s are likely to end their three-year stay in West Sacramento to complete their planned move to Vegas after next season, Shelton said he has attended at least one game of every home stand and tried to catch every visiting team at some point.
Shelton said he doesn’t think he’s the only one trying to take advantage of the opportunity as the A’s prepare to head to Vegas — a push that may help Sacramento’s permanent bid for a team. Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty during Thursday’s news conference encouraged residents to attend more A’s games as a way to strengthen the city’s bid.
Last season the A’s reported seven sellouts, and they are already up to 10 this season with 49 home games remaining. Friday night’s contest had a reported attendance of 12,254, a sellout, with even the right field grass stuffed with fans, although many were repping the ever-popular New York Yankees, whose fans travel well.
“People are excited because they know it’s coming to an end,” Shelton said. “The idea of Sacramento putting their name in the hat … the city would explode. It’d be the hottest ticket in town for years.”
“We will embrace whatever Sacramento wants to call it.”
‘Of course we’re going to be fans’
Despite growing up an A’s fan, Shelton said he’d immediately become a fan of a new Sacramento team if it was created.
Shelton said when he used to go to A’s games in Oakland, he would get back late due to the drive, meaning he couldn’t go out afterward — something he said has changed with the A’s now in Sacramento.
“We’re a 30-minute drive,” Shelton said. “My daughters were so excited. Like a Friday night, it’s 10 p.m. ‘Let’s go in the city. Let’s go have some fun.’”
Rob Noble, of Orangevale, attended Friday’s game with his adult son, Haidyn. Unlike the many local fans sporting A’s gear — some with the word “Sacramento” across their chest — the father-son duo were wearing Yankees jerseys.
The two have been Yankees fans their entire lives, but Friday was Haidyn’s first time watching the Bronx Bombers and superstar Aaron Judge, who grew up in Linden but was born in Sacramento.
“It’s in my hometown makes it even better,” Haidyn said.
Though Rob said a Yankees-Sacramento matchup would be somewhat bittersweet, there’s no doubt who the Orangevale natives would root for.
“We’d vote for Sac,” Rob said.
Bay Area team roots too strong?
Because there has never been an MLB team in the Sacramento area, many fans in California’s capital region migrated their fandom to the two teams that for decades were in the Bay Area — the A’s and Giants. However, the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats have had consistently well-attended home games, showcasing interest in baseball in the area.
With the A’s moving to Vegas, some longtime fans such as Aiden Mason, who recently moved to Placer County from Fairfield, will stop watching the A’s and transition to being Giants fans.
This could leave fans looking for a nearby team — a void a Sacramento franchise could fill, though longer-standing ties in the A’s and Giants could still be the dominant fan bases.
“It depends on the team and the culture of it,” Mason said when asked if he’d be a fan of a new Sacramento team. “I’ll be a bit open to it if my team does go to Las Vegas.”
Keil, who was also frustrated with the A’s move to Vegas, was asked if he thinks Sacramento-area fans would show up for a new team.
Keil responded: “I hope so.”
This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 9:31 PM.
