Oakland Athletics fans are up in arms again. This time, it’s because the team’s move to a new city got the green light from MLB’s big shots. Starting on Opening Day, there’s a plan to tailgate outside the stadium. But, get this, they won’t actually step foot inside. It’s like throwing a party in the parking lot and ignoring the main event.
According to The Athletic, two fan groups, the Oakland 68s and The Last Dive Bar, are teaming up. They’re pretty ticked off at A’s owner John Fisher. It’s not their first rodeo, either. They’ve done this boycott dance before. But Jorge Leon, the head honcho of the Oakland 68s, is saying, “You ain’t seen nothing yet.” He’s promising 2024’s protests will be next level.
And here’s a kicker. The Last Dive Bar wants fans to take the money they’d normally blow on season tickets and give it to Schools Over Stadiums. That’s a Nevada group trying to keep public funds from being used for the team’s shiny new stadium in Vegas.
Seems like the boycott’s stirring the pot a bit. For the March 28 home opener against the Cleveland Guardians, the A’s are practically begging fans to show up. They’re offering a buy-one-get-one-free ticket deal. Desperate much? Last year, their attendance was in the gutter. Only 10,275 fans on average, which made them the loneliest team in the league.
In November, the MLB owners all agreed the A’s could pack up for Sin City. But Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman threw a curveball. She said the A’s should try to stick it out in Oakland. Though, she did flip-flop a bit later. Goodman mentioned that Vegas would roll out the red carpet for the Athletics if Oakland didn’t work out.
It’s a whole mess, really. Fans are mad, the team’s trying to woo them back, and politicians are in the mix. Baseball, boycotts, and a potential move to Vegas. It’s more dramatic than a soap opera.
