Fans of the Oakland A's protested the team's planned departure to Las Vegas by boycotting the club's Opening Day game against the Cleveland Guardians.
According to the Associated Press, many fans bought tickets to the game just to organize a block party outside the stadium.
Paid attendance for the game was 13,522, but many of those fans gathered in the far corner of the parking lot, displaying T-shirts that "Sell", while throwing beanbag caricatures of team executives John Fisher and Dave Kaval.
“Everyone’s in such a good mood because we’re all here for the same thing,” said Edward Silva, a student at San Jose State and a lifelong A’s fan. “Everyone knows the score. So everyone’s on the same page, and just creating a wonderful atmosphere.”
The A’s opened gates to parking lots just two hours before the game to align with what they said was the expected attendance, but fan groups that organized the boycott, including the Oakland 68’s and The Last Dive Bar, said it was an attempt to limit the protest.
The A's plan to relocate to Las Vegas in 2028, but where they will play games between now and the move remains uncertain, as their lease with the Coliseum expires. Sacramento and Salt Lake City have been floated as options, as well as sharing Oracle Park with the San Francisco Giants.
A's manager Mark Kotsay said he empathized with fans.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from Oakland A’s fans,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “When they come out, they come out with support, with love, and they do it full force.”
Kotsay added that the fans that do show up to the game itself would “have a way to just be loud and create energy.”
“Just to put a uniform on and to have this opportunity to be a big leaguer, to manage a big league club — I’m honored, regardless if there’s one fan or 60,000 fans,” Kotsay said.
