Sports Architecture News: The A's in Sacramento
This is the start of what will be a long series on the development of the A's new ballpark in Las Vegas. That whole situation is very much up in the air, but until it is resolved, it appears the A's will be playing at what is currently known as Sutter Health Ballpark in Sacramento.
I went to college about 20 minutes from the site of Sutter Health Park, and have probably seen more A's home games than any other team, after living in the Bay Area for more than a decade, so this is an interesting story besides the sports architectural angle.
At just over 14,000 seats, it will be -- by far -- the smallest park in the majors. That being said, if those 14,000 seats are full, that will be more than double what the A's are bringing in to the massive 47,000 seat Oakland Coliseum this season, with the Athletics' home crowds averaging just over 6,000 in 2024.
It's not yet known what the ticket prices will be at Sutter Health Park, but fans are currently able to request info about season tickets, group tickets and suites. As with all major events today, these tickets will certainly be subject to dynamic pricing, with higher-demand seats and games selling for more.
The A's players are (unfortunately) now used to playing in front of small crowds, but even 14,000 fans in a 47,000 seat ballpark will feel different than a full house in an intimate minor-league park, so it will be interesting to see how the players feel to playing to a sold-out ballpark. And it's going to be a real eye-opener to the established major leaguer stars from other teams to play in such an intimate setting. When is the last time Mike Trout played in a 14,000 seat park?
It's going to be a slightly more intimate location, going from one of the most massive multi-use stadiums in baseball to a minor league park. The entire complex at Sutter Health Park fits inside the massive Oakland Coliseum.
Minor league baseball games are generally more fun than the majors; everything is closer, more intimate. Parks are usually more full, and there's an energy in a small ballpark that you don't get in a massive stadium. To see major-league play in such a setting is going to be a real bucket-list experience for baseball fans. I, for one, plan to make it out there!