\u201cOh yeah, I\u2019d root for a Sacramento team,\u201d Keil said before Friday\u2019s 8-2 loss to the Yankees. \u201cThe A\u2019s are going to leave. I don\u2019t even know if we could watch them on TV anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019s time temporarily hosting the A\u2019s, Sacramento can be a permanent home for the league.<\/p>\n
Is Sacramento viable?<\/p>\n
While the MLB has not officially begun the process of expansion, the league\u2019s commissioner Rob Manfred has said he wants a plan for expansion in place \u2014 including cities selected \u2014 before he retires, which is expected in 2029. Among other likely candidates<\/a> in the West are Salt Lake City and Portland.<\/p>\n Already home to the NBA\u2019s 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\u2019s expansion bid announcement pointed out.<\/p>\n Over 1.6 million people<\/a> live in Sacramento County, according to census data, and the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto media market is bigger than seven markets<\/a> that already have a MLB team.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it has all the tools necessary to provide for a major league team to play here, for sure,\u201d A\u2019s manager Mark Kotsay said of Sacramento earlier this month.<\/p>\n Jeffrey Shelton, 58, of Rocklin, grew up in the Bay Area going to A\u2019s and San Francisco Giants games regularly. Having moved away from the Bay years ago, Shelton said it has been \u201cincredible\u201d having a team so close.<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t believe it,\u201d Shelton said. \u201cIt\u2019s Major League Baseball this close.\u201d<\/p>\n Knowing that the A\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Shelton said he doesn\u2019t think he\u2019s the only one trying to take advantage of the opportunity as the A\u2019s prepare to head to Vegas \u2014 a push that may help Sacramento\u2019s permanent bid for a team. Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty during Thursday\u2019s news conference encouraged residents to attend more A\u2019s games as a way to strengthen the city\u2019s bid.<\/p>\n Last season the A\u2019s reported seven sellouts, and they are already up to 10 this season with 49 home games remaining. Friday night\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are excited because they know it\u2019s coming to an end,\u201d Shelton said. \u201cThe idea of Sacramento putting their name in the hat \u2026 the city would explode. It\u2019d be the hottest ticket in town for years.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe will embrace whatever Sacramento wants to call it<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Of course we\u2019re going to be fans\u2019<\/p>\n Despite growing up an A\u2019s fan, Shelton said he\u2019d immediately become a fan of a new Sacramento team if it was created.<\/p>\n Shelton said when he used to go to A\u2019s games in Oakland, he would get back late due to the drive, meaning he couldn\u2019t go out afterward \u2014 something he said has changed with the A\u2019s now in Sacramento.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re a 30-minute drive,\u201d Shelton said. \u201cMy daughters were so excited. Like a Friday night, it\u2019s 10 p.m. \u2018Let\u2019s go in the city. Let\u2019s go have some fun.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Rob Noble, of Orangevale, attended Friday\u2019s game with his adult son, Haidyn. Unlike the many local fans sporting A\u2019s gear \u2014 some with the word \u201cSacramento\u201d across their chest<\/a> \u2014 the father-son duo were wearing Yankees jerseys.<\/p>\n The two have been Yankees fans their entire lives, but Friday was Haidyn\u2019s first time watching the Bronx Bombers and superstar Aaron Judge, who grew up in Linden but was born in Sacramento.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s in my hometown makes it even better,\u201d Haidyn said.<\/p>\n Though Rob said a Yankees-Sacramento matchup would be somewhat bittersweet, there\u2019s no doubt who the Orangevale natives would root for.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019d vote for Sac,\u201d Rob said.<\/p>\n Bay Area team roots too strong?<\/p>\n Because there has never been an MLB team in the Sacramento area, many fans in California\u2019s capital region migrated their fandom to the two teams that for decades were in the Bay Area \u2014 the A\u2019s and Giants. However, the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats have had consistently well-attended home games, showcasing interest in baseball in the area.<\/p>\n With the A\u2019s moving to Vegas, some longtime fans such as Aiden Mason, who recently moved to Placer County from Fairfield, will stop watching the A\u2019s and transition to being Giants fans.<\/p>\n This could leave fans looking for a nearby team \u2014 a void a Sacramento franchise could fill, though longer-standing ties in the A\u2019s and Giants could still be the dominant fan bases.<\/p>\n \u201cIt depends on the team and the culture of it,\u201d Mason said when asked if he\u2019d be a fan of a new Sacramento team. \u201cI\u2019ll be a bit open to it if my team does go to Las Vegas.\u201d<\/p>\n Keil, who was also frustrated with the A\u2019s move to Vegas, was asked if he thinks Sacramento-area fans would show up for a new team.<\/p>\n Keil responded: \u201cI hope so.\u201d<\/p>\n This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 9:31 PM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n![\"Baseball-style](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SAC_1325_PK_20260528_MLBEXPANSION.JPG\" "\\"SAC_1325_PK_20260528_MLBEXPANSION.JPG\\"")
Baseball-style caps with the letter \u201cS\u201d for Sacramento sit on display as Greater Sacramento regional leaders announce the region\u2019s bid to secure a Major League Baseball expansion team during a press conference at The Barn on Thursday in West Sacramento. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com Attendance, excitement on the rise<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SAC_0014_262905_JV_AS_YANKEES.JPG\" "\\"SAC_0014_262905_JV_AS_YANKEES.JPG\\"")
New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge signs autographs before the Yankees face the Athletics on Friday at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. JOS\u00c9 LUIS VILLEGAS jvillegas@sacbee.com <\/p>\n![\"Athletics](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SAC_1646_262905_JV_AS_YANKEES.JPG\" "\\"SAC_1646_262905_JV_AS_YANKEES.JPG\\"")
Athletics center fielder Henry Bolte watches the ball hit by New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice land in the right center field grass for a home run on Friday at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. JOS\u00c9 LUIS VILLEGAS jvillegas@sacbee.com <\/p>\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SAC_SAC_48_HA_SeanCampbell_052725.JPG\")