Are the Sacramento-bound A's the worst franchise in sports?

On Thursday, the Oakland Athletics announced an agreement to play in Sacramento until 2028 while a new stadium is built for the team in Las Vegas. While expected, the move formally leaves Oakland in the dust and all but announces the franchise's intention to punt on the next three seasons. 

For various reasons, the A's are near the top of the list when it comes to downtrodden teams, but they certainly aren't alone. With that in mind, here is the worst franchise in sports right now – kicking it off with John Fisher's Boys. 

Oakland Athletics 

Worst trait: Ownership 

When searching for the culprit responsible for the mess the A's have become, one needs to look no further than the team's owner, John Fisher. Despite insisting that he had done everything he could to keep the A's in Oakland, the opposite seems true. 

Fisher let already dank conditions at the Oakland Coliseum worsen, making the A's as unattractive a spot to land as possible for players and fans. Likewise, he has destroyed the product on the field, selling off the team's best players to the highest bidder and cutting every cost imaginable when building a roster. Since 2021, the team's payroll has dropped from 24th in the league to dead last, where it's remained for the past two seasons. All done to further his argument for a new stadium and an excuse to leave Oakland behind. 

Arizona Coyotes

Worst trait: Facilities 

Hockey in Arizona has always been a tough sell, but since the city of Glendale terminated the team's lease to play at Gila River Arena in 2021, a move outside the state seems inevitable. In the interim, the Coyotes continue to play games at Arizona State University's Mullett Arena, a 5,000-seat facility that doesn't come close to meeting standards for an NHL team.

There's a glimmer of hope with ownership planning to bid on land in Phoenix, but there are no guarantees and an auction may not take place until November, per Arizona Sports. Meanwhile, the Coyotes remain stuck in limbo, fielding a non-competitive team that is unappealing to free agents they can't invest in any way because of the team's uncertain future.

Washington Wizards

Worst trait: Roster construction 

Roster-wise, parting with Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis seems like a huge mistake in retrospect, at least return-wise. Some of the pieces gained in exchange that were supposed to transform the Wizards. Instead, Jordan Poole, Tyus Jones and Landry Shamet, paired with the roster tweaks since then, have resulted in the second-worst record in the NBA. 

The Wizards will have two first-round picks this summer, including a lottery pick. However, having top 10 selections in four of the last five years has made little impact. Likely operating over the cap in 2024-2025, it looks like another offseason of turnover via trade for a hopelessly directionless franchise. 

Carolina Panthers 

Worst trait: Ownership 

Whether it's firing two head coaches in two years, trading away stars like Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore and Brian Burns or throwing drinks at fans, David Tepper has been the definition of a poor owner. Unsurprisingly, his lackluster decision-making has bled onto the field, where his team hasn't posted a winning record since 2017. 

Now, the hopes of a 2-15 team rest on a roster devoid of talent, led by a rookie head coach and quarterback entering his second year. With the 29th-most cap space in the NFL and no first-round pick in the 2024 draft, things might get much worse before they get better.