Sacramento County Sports Digest

Things are moving quickly for the Oakland Athletics as they decide where to call home before eventually playing in a newly built stadium slated for a 2028 opening in Las Vegas.

According to the Greater Economic Council and Downtown Sacramento Partnership, Golden 1 Center brings in hundreds of millions of dollars annually in economic benefits to the Sacramento region.

When and if California legalizes sports gambling, the policy should honor the laws established in partnership with tribes decades ago, says Assemblyman James Ramos.

The class of 2024, enshrined at its ninth annual induction ceremony, includes Matt Barnes, James Donaldson, Leon Lee, Jamie Whitmore, Nick Johnson and, from the Special Olympics, Robert Bodas.

NBA stars Matt Barnes and James Donaldson, baseball players Leon Lee and Nick Johnson, and Team USA paracyclist Jamie Whitmore will be inducted on Feb. 4 at Thunder Valley Casino.

The “pop, pop, pop” that’s become synonymous with Pickleball may soon be a racket of the past. That’s the goal promised by a new generation of equipment developed to lessen the overall acoustic burden of the sport.

Proposed California legislation that would ban tackle football for kids under 12 had gained momentum until Gov. Gavin Newsom made it clear he’d veto the bill.

The Assembly has until the end of January to decide the fate of the youth tackle football bill, which would prevent kids under 12 from playing the sport to protect them from brain trauma.

An avalanche swept up skiers at Lake Tahoe’s largest ski resort on Jan. 10 as a 150-foot-wide sheet of snow slid down a mountain slope.

An avalanche was reported Jan. 11 at a resort near Lake Tahoe, one day after a major avalanche roared down an adjoining mountain, trapping several people and killing a 66-year-old man.

A recent investigation by Voice of San Diego revealed that nonprofits that provide staff at local stadiums could be raising money without doing charity work, while also paying labor below minimum wage and under the table. Now, multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating.

Three years after the NFL's Raiders abandoned Oakland for Las Vegas, MLB's Oakland A's announced they're moving there too. The owners of the teams unanimously approved the MLB team’s move.

The Fresno Grizzlies announced their sale to Diamond Baseball Holdings, a major operator of minor league clubs in the U.S., including the San Jose Giants.

The $700 million price tag sets a $7 billion mark that would make the Warriors one of the world’s most valuable sports teams.

The Sacramento Republic FC has signed Da’vian Kimbrough from Woodland, making him the youngest athlete in American professional team sports.

At its July 26 meeting, the Galt Parks and Recreation Commission discussed how to prioritize youth sports groups. Parks and Recreation Director Armando Solis said his department has developed a way for sports groups to reserve fields online.

The community is ready and eager for the ribbon cutting and dedication on the long-awaited Rio Linda High School Baseball and Softball complex.

Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry won the American Century Championship with a knuckle-biting last putt.

A proposal to set up degree completion funds for California student athletes has met with stiff opposition from universities and the NCAA. College athletes could earn a share of the revenue they generate under the bill — as much as $25,000 for each year that they played their sport. But the bill’s author has delayed it until 2024 after opponents charged the fund would draw money away from less lucrative sports like gymnastics and swimming.

Days after a social media post from the Sacramento Kings star player De'Aaron Fox about “a purple shortage” in the new uniforms, the Kings unveiled the team's “statement” jersey. The statement? Purple.

The Sacramento Kings were one pick away from drafting Keegan Murray’s identical twin brother in the 2023 NBA Draft. If it wasn’t for fate and the Portland Trail Blazers, the Murray twins could’ve been teammates again.

In recent years, MLB officials have faced a significant lack of African American representation within the sport. The 2022 World Series marked the first time since 1950 that no U.S.-born Black players appeared in MLB’s showcase championship.

The Sacramento Kings unveiled new uniforms for the 2023-2024 season and they feature a lot less purple. The uniforms are back to using black as the primary color, with purple as an accent.

Gregory Bradley Sr. founded Loyalty Riderz in 2019 with his wife Phyllis Bradley and three other couples. The group meets monthly and sponsors rodeos and riders in events in the Bay Area and Southern California.

A member of the El Dorado Hills’ MMAGOLD team, the local standout has a big fight on the horizon May 20.

Kahlef Hailassie, who played high school ball at Cosumnes Oaks, is poised to hear his name called in the upcoming NFL draft after a stellar college career as a defensive back at Western Kentucky.

In a field historically dominated by white men, the Sacramento Kings television team is composed entirely of people of color and women—one of few NBA markets to demonstrate this diversity at the announcers’ table.

The North Natomas skate park honors Tyre Nichols, who grew up in Sacramento. The 29-year-old Black man was severely injured during a Jan. 7 confrontation with police and died of his injuries Jan. 10.

Citrus Heights Vice Mayor Bret Daniels is hoping to gain enough support to oppose a youth tackle football ban.

For 45 years, The Sports Shop served the entire southern half of Sacramento County as the only sporting goods shop. Online retailers have reportedly made it too difficult to continue.

The new relationship between the Sacramento River Cats and Sacramento Kings was celebrated at the final game of the River Cats’ season with a ceremonial first pitch delivered by Major League Baseball’s home run king, Barry Bonds.

In its 34-year life span, the arena in North Natomas became part in Sacramento lore. The WNBA Sacramento Monarchs won a championship there, and the Kings were arguably the best team in the NBA during the 2001-2002 season.