{"id":535117,"date":"2026-03-12T08:13:28","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T08:13:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/535117\/"},"modified":"2026-03-12T08:13:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T08:13:28","slug":"former-executive-on-sacramentos-chances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/535117\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Executive on Sacramento’s chances"},"content":{"rendered":"

As talk around MLB expansion begins to heat up, Sacramento could soon formally enter the conversation. <\/p>\n

Former Major League Baseball executive David Samson joined Sactown Sports\u2019 The Drive Guys to break down what the league will actually be looking for if the city hopes to land a franchise.<\/p>\n

And while the idea of expansion is gaining traction,<\/a> Samson made it clear the process is long \u2014 and the requirements are significant.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst of all, you need an ownership group, so you start with that,\u201d Samson said. \u201cIt\u2019s got to be somebody with extremely deep pockets. And it\u2019s got to be someone who would lead what will most likely be a syndicate of other people, so a group of people to come up with the amount of money required both to pay the expansion fee and then to have the capital to start a franchise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SACRAMENTO,<\/p>\n

(Photo by Ezra Shaw\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Could Sacramento secure an MLB expansion team?<\/p>\n

Sacramento is weeks away from hosting its second Opening Day as the temporary home of the Athletics as they await the completion of their new stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.<\/p>\n

The A\u2019s played the 2025 season at Sutter Health Park, home of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, and plan to play there through the 2027 season.<\/p>\n

Having Major League Baseball in Sacramento has raised the question of whether or not a team can permanently call the California state capital home, but it will take a big push from local leaders.<\/p>\n

According to Samson, ownership is just the first box to check for Sacramento.<\/p>\n

\u201cSecond, a stadium plan \u2014 where would the team play? What is the financing of that stadium, of a new stadium, likely with a roof, what\u2019s the location, etc.,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd then three would be, what is your view of the market as it relates to local revenue? That\u2019s ticket revenue, sponsorship revenue, and broadcast revenue.\u201d<\/p>\n

In other words, if Sacramento wants to be taken seriously in MLB expansion talks, the proposal needs to be complete \u2014 ownership, stadium financing, and long-term market viability.<\/p>\n

One theory floating around locally is that Sacramento hosting the Athletics temporarily could give the city a leg up in the MLB expansion race. Samson isn\u2019t buying that idea.<\/p>\n

\"SACRAMENTO,<\/p>\n

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA \u2013 MAY 21: A general view of Sutter Health Park as the Athletics take on the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning on May 21, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that we\u2019re local, but that\u2019s just not realistic,\u201d Samson said. \u201cIt\u2019s very nice that Sacramento stepped up and that a deal was there to be had to be the interim home\u2026 but when owners are looking at expansion\u2026 I just don\u2019t think you\u2019ll find owners who give much weight to the fact that Sacramento was the home of Oakland in the interim period.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that attendance numbers during this stopgap period likely won\u2019t matter much either.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not about whether 5,000 people come or 12,000 people come to watch the A\u2019s play. It\u2019s really not relevant, truly, to owners when they\u2019re deciding what they want to do. It\u2019s what\u2019s going to happen going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bigger hurdle may simply be time. Samson emphasized that MLB expansion \u2014 while inevitable at some point \u2014 is still far from happening.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to study expansion. Then you have to get bids from cities, negotiate with cities, get ownership groups, and negotiate with them. It\u2019s a whole thing, and it takes a very, very long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Sacramento, that means the expansion conversation is just getting started. If the city hopes to secure a franchise when MLB eventually grows, the focus won\u2019t be on goodwill or temporary hosting duties.<\/p>\n

It will be about ownership money, a stadium plan, and proving the market can sustain Major League Baseball long term.<\/p>\n

Check out the full interview with David Samson by scrolling to the top of the page or by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Listen to\u00a0The Drive Guys\u00a0from 2 \u2013 6 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on\u00a0Sactown Sports 1140.<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow @FCartoscelli3<\/a><\/p>\n

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