The Athletics, a Major League Baseball team, have been rooted in Oakland since 1968. Their time in the Bay, however, is coming to an end. They are moving to Sacramento due to their owner and city council voting to move. Sports Media has focused on the Oakland A’s moving for at least a decade now. Possible locations for the Athletics have included San Jose, Fremont and multiple parts of Oakland, and recently, Las Vegas and Sacramento. This is now the A’s final season in Oakland. But due to their fans, the atmosphere and businesses, the A’s should continue to play in Oakland.
Before the Athletics came to Oakland, they played in Kansas City. During the transition from Kansas City to Oakland, the owner at the time, Charlie Finnley, was behind many of the traditions the A’s fans have now. He allowed posters and flags in the stands, seen in the right field bleachers, and drummers have been spotted there since the ‘70s.
Finnley created an amazing atmosphere and a fanbase in the Oakland Coliseum. After Finnley, the new owners, the Haas Family, brought in George Henderson in the early ‘80s. Famously known as “Krazy George” in the Bay Area. He never fails to get fans riled up each game he attends. His arrival also started the famous wave trend, which can be seen in many sports stadiums today.
The fanbase of the A’s rallied together for a reverse boycott on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. The purpose was to demonstrate to John Fisher, the current owner, why the team is rooted in Oakland and the reasons they should stay. Tuesdays in Oakland are averaged to be the least populated night, which made it so special when 37, 553 fans showed up.
Shirts were given out for free, simply with the word “sell,” implying that the fanbase wanted Fisher to sell the team to a new owner who would be in favor of keeping them in Oakland. Their goal was to sell the team to an owner who cares enough about the team to invest in good players that fans want to watch and also not to get rid of beloved players.
Some fans brought posters and flags to protest the departure of the A’s. During the bottom of the fifth inning, the fans organized a plan to be silent during the first bat and suddenly shout “Sell the team.” This plan was so successful that the pitcher, Hogan Harris, thought his pitch-com, a radio used to communicate signs from the catcher to the pitcher, stopped working because he could not hear the calls.
From the 1980s to the 2010s, the A’s were thriving in the MLB. Their success kept fans coming back for decades. The 2023 season, however, was a struggle for the players and fans. On average, only 10,000 fans would attend each game, which was a decrease from previous seasons. Now, this season has an average of 3,000 fans. The dramatic decrease has negatively impacted the atmosphere in the stadium, leaving it only a fraction of its prime.
Once again, the fans have started planning another reverse boycott on Friday, June 7, 2024 to demonstrate their continued support. The final game of the 2024 season, in September, is almost sold out. Even if their fanbase is not present in the stadium, they are still supporting the A’s and will always remain rooted in Oakland.
Fisher is a businessman, but he has to appeal to the fanbase, players and the local city and county council. The fanbase feels that Fisher is alienating them. They are not showing up because there is nobody to show up for.
When Fisher sells the players that the fans want to watch, the fans get displeased, especially because these players are all successful on their current teams. Fisher is moving the A’s to a whole different city, despite being rooted in Oakland for decades.
Certain people might say that Oakland is not a family-friendly community to host a professional team, especially since other fans don’t feel safe on their way to the stadium. They also mentioned that the stadium is one of the worst in baseball, and it would be better for them to just move. The A’s, however, should stay because of the amazing community they have within the stadium walls, cheering them on as they play.
Selling the team to an owner that is willing to keep the Athletics in Oakland with either a new or updated stadium is what A’s fans want. An owner who cares about the team can bring the same success that the A’s had back in the 1980s and 2000s back. The Athletics need to stay in Oakland.