‘It’s just not right’: Las Vegas natives Harper, Stott pan A’s move
Las Vegas natives Bryce Harper and Bryson Stott who now play for the Philadelphia Phillies don’t like that the Oakland A’s seem poised to officially relocate to Vegas, they told USA Today on Wednesday.
They’re skeptical, even cynical, that the franchise will have any chance of succeeding in their hometown.
“I feel sorry for the fans in Oakland,’’ said Harper, an outfielder and former league MVP. “It’s just not right. They have so much history in Oakland. You’re taking a team out of a city. I’m pretty sad because of all of the history and all of the greatness they’ve seen there.
“I see the A’s as Oakland. I don’t see them as Vegas.’’
The A’s relocation plan to Las Vegas became almost a formality when the Nevada State Assembly and the State Senate approved the bill of spending up to $380 million in public money towards the construction of a new baseball stadium on the Las Vegas strip. The bill is now awaiting the approval of Gov. Joe Lombardo, a strong proponent of the bill.
It will become official once MLB owners vote on the relocation plan, which is expected to be unanimously approved by the 30 owners.
“We would rather see an expansion team than a relocated team,’’ said Stott, an infielder. “That’s why fans are so crazy about the Knights. It’s Vegas’ first team. It’s ours. It was kind of easy for people to gravitate towards that. Vegas wasn’t a big hockey town. It is now.
“But baseball, you have people in town liking the Dodgers, and the Angels, and the Padres, and the Diamondbacks. It will take a few generations before they have a real fandom in baseball. I’m sure they’ll sell tickets for visiting fans, which is probably all they care about.’’
Stott points to the Raiders, who averaged 62,045 fans last season, which ranked just 30th among the 32 NFL teams, playing in the 40th-largest market.
“I went to a lot of their games,’’ Stott said. “It’s at best, 50-50 Raiders fans and whoever they’re playing. You’re selling tickets, but you want your own fans in the ballpark.’’
Besides, it’s not as if Las Vegas is inheriting a winner. The A’s are tied with the Kansas City Royals for the worst record in baseball. They have MLB’s smallest payroll at $58 million. And they are years away from being remotely close to a playoff team.
“That’s why it should have been an expansion franchise, not the A’s,’’ Harper said. “Look at the Knights, they won the Cup, but they were an expansion franchise. They were Vegas-born, as people would say. It’s the first team that came to Vegas. I don’t think you can really match that.
“It’s just going to be tough for those guys. It was tough for the Raiders last year. People thought the Raiders would be successful. Maybe they will be, but you have to build a fan base. Those 5-and 6-year-olds are going to grow up as Raiders’ fans or A’s fans, so by the time they are 16-, 17-years-old, they’re going to have fans.
“And they better spend money to win. Vegas loves a winner.’’
Former All-Star outfielder Dexter Fowler, a Las Vegas resident who won a World Series with the Chicago Cubs, shares the same sentiment, telling USA Today that he wishes the A’s would have just stayed in Oakland, letting baseball place an expansion team in Las Vegas.
“I feel like Vegas should have had an expansion team,’’ Fowler said. “This is a small city with a big city vibe. The people here love their hometown teams. If they want to do OK here, they better put a better product on the field, spend a little more money, and show the fans that they are committed to winning, not just being here.
“But, I just feel so bad for Oakland. They already lost the Raiders to Vegas. Now this. Those people are going to hate Vegas. It’s like, Vegas got us again!
“Sad.’’