Are the Raiders Proof MLB-Las Vegas Isn't a Good Fit?
Last month, it was revealed the Oakland Athletics would be relocating to Las Vegas within the next four years, marking the city's third franchise of the four major American men's sports leagues.
Oakland lost its beloved Raiders to Las Vegas a few years back, and with the Golden State Warriors moving to their new arena, Chase Center in San Francisco, the city will be without a professional team within its limits once the A's are gone.
As much as Las Vegas has embraced hosting the Raiders, the franchise, which has one of the most iconic fan bases in all sports, is still widely represented by a following of devoted fans from outside of Nevada -- particularly California.
The Las Vegas Golden Knights of the NHL were an expansion team that the city of Las Vegas has fallen in love with, much because the club is purely its own, hence the team slogan: "Vegas Born."
The Raiders, however, have a rich history that stretches long before their move to Las Vegas.
Therefore, believing that the A's move won't work out too well initially is justified.
Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott, a Las Vegas native, grew up without professional teams in his hometown. As a result, he chose to be a loyal Cleveland sports fan.
In a recent article from Zach Crizer of YahooSports, Stott said that he believes it will take time for the A's to grow a considerable following in Las Vegas.
“I personally don't see it being as good as everyone thinks it's gonna be,” he said. “Just living there and kind of seeing the Raiders -- I mean, the Raiders, it's like 70 percent away-team fans.”
Perhaps Stott has a point.
The Raiders' offseason workout schedule is as follows:
OTA Offseason workouts: May 22-23, May 25, May 31-June 2, June 12-15
Mandatory Minicamp: June 6-8
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