Sacramento’s relationship with Major League Baseball dates back to the 1950s, when the Sacramento Solons entertained fans in the Pacific Coast League. The city’s yearning for a top‑tier franchise has persisted through successive ownership changes and league realignments.
A Persistent Pursuit
In the late 1970s, Greg Lukenbill teamed up with Frank McCormack to champion a new franchise, culminating in a 1987 "March on Baseball" that drew thousands to the Capitol Mall. Lukenbill later met with San Francisco Giants owner Bob Lurie to discuss a possible relocation, and he secured a $50 million public‑funding pledge from the City Council, a decision made under then‑mayor Anne Rudin. The same council also considered a move by the Los Angeles Raiders, whose founder Al Davis had long eyed Sacramento as a potential home.
The most recent chapter arrived in 2025, when the Oakland Athletics began playing a handful of home games in Sacramento as a temporary measure while a long‑term stadium site near Arco Arena was evaluated. Rick Dittmar of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce noted at the time that the city’s growing population and robust market made it a compelling candidate for permanent major‑league status, and the team’s owner John Fisher has been courted repeatedly by local officials.
Beyond baseball, Sacramento added an MLS expansion franchise in 2019, a venture led by tech entrepreneur Vivek Ranadive, though financing challenges have stalled construction. The city’s sports ecosystem also includes the Sacramento River Cats, a Triple‑A affiliate that has become a beloved community institution.
Greg Lukenbill, reflecting on the next four or five years, argues that Sacramento is finally poised to land an expansion team, citing the region’s top‑20 television market, a population of roughly two million, and a track record of civic determination that has kept the conversation alive for decades. Former Olympics chief Peter Ueberroth has also voiced public support, adding momentum to the push.