The Oakland Athletics are moving from Oakland, where they have been since the 1960s to Las Vegas. Even though they have a strong fan base, the owner’s reasoning for the move is better branding for the team. However, this move was met with problems from the get-go, the majority of it being resistance from fans. For fans, this almost feels like a cheating spouse and it’s even hitting them hard because A’s are the only team remaining in Oakland since all teams from the NFL and NBA have left the place.

However, fan support is the least of their troubles now because they have a bigger problem at hand – something that can ruin their chances of even making that much-talked-about relocation. The problem is funding and who will foot the bill for the ballpark? With a $1.5 billion price tag, securing the necessary funding is crucial.

Oakland Athletics’ grand stadium vision hits a financial snag

The Oakland Athletics ballpark renderings shown earlier this year were impressive. The half-domes cover the backside, and the half-glass gives fans views of the stunning Las Vegas skyline. And not to forget another standout feature—a massive jumbotron plus a huge patio area–everything looked great and massive. It is all really exciting on paper—no doubt about that. But with a $1.5 billion price tag, it’s not just the size that’s massive. The problem they have is massive as well, and that is funding.

While public funding is a significant boost, the real challenge for Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher is covering his share of the $1.5 billion project. Now, A’s shared their financial plans, and that shows that a major chunk of the amount that is $850 million will come from equity investments. Hence, the major piece of the puzzle is Fisher’s contribution. In fact, this was what JMP Securities Mitch Germain was saying earlier. He said, “The last piece of the puzzle was private financing obtained by the owner for the remaining cost of the stadium. Chatter suggests this may have hit a roadblock.”

It’s been exactly 16 months since they announced their move to Vegas and 14 months since Nevada committed around $380 million in funding. However, if Fisher doesn’t provide proper plans, the government might not release the funds. This is a major issue along with, of course, Fisher’s funding. And this is serious because without that remaining cost covered, there will be possibly no ballpark.

Moreover, for Oakland Athletics fans, this relocation hasn’t been received. Until their new stadium is ready in Las Vegas, the team will be playing in a minor league park in Sacramento, which only accommodates 10,000 to 14,000 spectators. This is a far cry from the 46,000 fans the current Oakland Coliseum can hold. And given the pace at which the project is running, completing it in the said time of 2028 seems an outreach. And recently, one fan, a rather famous one, took a rather drastic step to showcase his displeasure with this move.

Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day mocks A’s move to Vegas 

If you are an 80s or a 90s kid or just anyone who likes punk music, you know Green Day. They are famous for their hits like “Holiday” and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” Now Green Day was at the Rogers Centre along with the Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, and The Linda Lindas as part of the Saviors Tour. And during the visit, Billie Joe Armstrong pulled a stunt that put him in a spot. 

Armstrong recorded himself in the stadium’s hallway and then picking up a spray bottle and then covering the Oakland A’s logo plastered on the walls with green spray paint. He essentially covered A with a B. Why B you ask? Well, it stands for Big Ballers. According to ABC7, Billie Joe Armstrong, an Oakland native, was once a big fan of the Oakland Athletics. But since the team decided to relocate to Las Vegas, Armstrong has shifted his support to the Big Ballers. 

He was also seen at the Ballers game during their inaugural season. Co-founder of Oakland Ballers when asked about the video, didn’t comment much on the actions he did on the video. He said, “I’ve been a fan of Billie Joe Armstrong since I was a kid. He’s so punk rock. We’ve loved having him at our games at Raimondi Park and seeing him rep our gear on social media. He’s an East Bay legend.”

Armstrong was also in on the “reverse boycott” by Oakland Athletics fan groups Last Dive Bar and Oakland 68’s in 2023. Whether any action will be taken regarding the stunt against Armstrong remains to be seen. The Toronto Police informed the Bay Area Group through email that they have no such record of the incident.