Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Each week, we send 30 polls to plugged-in fans from each team. Astros fans, sign up HERE to join Reacts.
There are two clubs constantly mentioned as potential relocation candidates in recent memory: the Oakland A’s and Tampa Bay Rays. For as long as I can remember in my adult life, anyway. I actually don’t consider it a baseball season now without mention of relocation for these two clubs. Thus far in 2021, the chatter is only getting louder in Oakland as the A’s and Major League Baseball are now entering the process to move the club.
Blame will be deservingly tossed around by multiple parties in the coming months and years in this ever-complicated situation. But who is the main “bad guy” in this story? It depends on who you exactly ask.
As a fan of Houston sports in general, I can sympathize with the plight of Oakland fans to a certain degree. For one, they’ve already lost the Raiders to Las Vegas, which also feels like a potential landing spot for the A’s. While the Oilers left Houston for Tennessee fairly early in my childhood, I spent some of my formative years with no allegiance to a football team. Incidentally, that period is when my fandom for both the Astros and Rockets took off. Plus, there was also the now-defunct Comets wrecking shop in the WNBA, which was extremely fun to watch as a kid. At least the fans of Houston sports had those teams and fond memories to fall back on. Now, we have the Texans and their drama (insert long sigh).
In any case, I hate to see a loyal fanbase like the A’s have in Oakland having to watch another club go elsewhere. Personally, I do feel sad for them, even if this news involves a division rival. The A’s are very much engrained in the city of Oakland, and it is a shame to see a club leave under any circumstance. The first choice for the location of a new stadium should remain Oakland until every reasonable option is exhausted. I think fans generally agree with that sentiment.
But if the relocation does occur, Las Vegas is viewed as the probable landing spot by fans, as I implied earlier. Portland and Oklahoma City finished out the above poll; however, the exclusion of Nashville from the top results is a bit of a surprise. This complex situation is far from over, though. Stay tuned.
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