Big League Weekend in Las Vegas features Reds vs. Athletics
There's not likely to be too much excitement, at least not on the surface anyway, but Major League Baseball will return to Las Vegas for the first time in quite some time.
After a three-year absence, Las Vegas will host two major league spring training games next March. The Cincinnati Reds and Oakland Athletics will descend upon Las Vegas Ballpark for a two-game set on March 4th and 5th as part of the two team's Cactus League schedule.
The Las Vegas area has been rumored to be in the market for a major league team of late. Whether the Oaklands A's follow in the footsteps of the Las Vegas Raiders and move east, or whether MLB decides to hand Sin City an expansion franchise has yet to be determined.
Reds and Athletics to play spring training baseball in Las Vegas.
The Cincinnati Reds will make their way to Goodyear, Arizona early next year with their Cactus League game scheduled for February 25th against the defending American League Central Division Champion Cleveland Guardians.
But once the calendar flips to March, the Reds and A's will play back-to-back day games during the first weekend as part of Big League Weekend in Las Vegas.
Las Vegas is home to the Aviators, the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. The two teams will use the Aviators' home ball park for the two-game set. The stadium itself was just built back in 2019, though the Aviators have called Las Vegas home since 1983.
If filled to capacity, Las Vegas Ballpark can hold upwards of 10,000. The Cincinnati Reds played 15 games in front of 10,000 or fewer fans during the 2022, seven of which were at Great American Ball Park. The Oakland A's are not immune to playing in front of a sparse crowd as more than 50 of the Athletics' game were played in front of a crowd of less than 10,000 people.