I've never been to Oakland, California, but I know that region is full of some of the most passionate sports fans in the country. Oakland has a rich history of success. The A's have won four World Series in Oakland. The Raiders Black Hole was one of the most iconic stadium sections in the big four. The Oracle had one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA (except for the 2016 & 2019 Finals).
Unfortunately, Oakland lost the Golden State Warriors and now Las Vegas Raiders to San Francisco and Vegas, respectively, in 2019 and 2020. It appears the A's are next. 
With Nevada approving public funding for a new A's stadium (Billionaires should pay for their own fucking stadiums) and their lease in Oakland expiring after the 2024 season, the A's move to Vegas feels all but inevitable. What Oakland-area fans have gone through these last few years is so fucked up and could happen to almost any market in this country.
It's still up to the rest of the MLB owners to formally approve the A's move. Hopefully, this display of passion from the A's faithful helps, but I'm not counting on billionaires to do the right thing. IMO, the vast majority of the time, when a team relocates, it's a bad thing. Like, I don't feel bad for Atlanta losing the Thrashers; Atlanta isn't a hockey town, but I still hate that the Chargers aren't in San Diego. I feel for the St. Louis fans, but they stole the Rams in the first place. I'm cool with them being back in LA, but the Chargers not being in San Diego is WRONG. Don't even get me started on the SuperSonics :( If you haven't been paying attention to baseball this year (who could blame you?), Oakland A's owner and certified piece of shit, John Fisher, has gone full Rachel Phelps from Major League (minus being hot).
A team that won 97 games in 2018 and 2019, and the Al West title in 2020, has been stripped down for parts the last few seasons, like all competitive A's teams of the last 25 years. The A's LOVE a good old-fashioned fire sale. Think of all the studs the A's developed and lost because ownership didn't pay.
Despite a recent 7-game win streak, the A's are just 19-51 through 70 games. That's why fans stopped showing up to the Coliseum, not because Oakland fell out of love with the A's.
Here's the message A's fans saw before the reverse boycott.
Between an all but confirmed moves, a terrible on-field product, and a stadium that's been falling apart for decades, it's understandable why games in Oakland look like they're still socially distanced, but it wasn't like that on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, June 13th, over 27,000 Oakland A's fans went to the dilapidated Oakland Coliseum to watch their club play the Tampa Bay Rays. If you're someone who doesn't pay attention to baseball (anymore because your greedy scumbag owner ruined the game for you), that might not seem like a huge deal, but it's a massive one and one that I hope actually makes a difference.
Baseball may be doing well right now, but it's the walls are slowly crumbling. The fact that I don't care about a league that used to matter to me more than pretty everything is fucking bananas. I still can't believe it sometimes. The average fan is only getting older.
The sad and ugly truth about this potential relocation is money. Oakland's been on hard times. This situation is the horrors of capitalism on full display. It doesn't matter if Oakland has loved the A's for over 50 years, if John Fisher can get another city to foot the bill for a stadium, he's going to. The fans were out in full display with plenty of creative signs, but to lead off, I wanna highlight a simple one. 
— KNBR (@KNBR) June 14, 2023
That fan's sign references the speech Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) gave during the Okufo Super League meeting in the 10th episode of Ted Lasso's most recent (and hopefully not final, but it sure looks that way) season.
I still haven't written my finale recap blog because it'll feel genuinely over once I do, and I'm not ready for that yet. I usually watch every episode like 3-5 times, but I've only watched the finale once...right when it premiered, and I haven't gotten myself to rewatch yet..but that blog is coming eventually lol.
Rebecca says it perfectly in the Ted Lasso clip, "Just because we own these teams, doesn't mean they belong to us."
I know "sports are a business," but jeez man, have a heart. How much money do you fucking need? It's basically a person saying my pockets are more important than the hearts of millions. It's disgusting, and why I proudly hate the concept of capitalism. Of course, I have to participate in it to stay alive in this country, and I have no issue with people getting rich off their achievements, but one person shouldn't be able to negatively impact so many others for their own gain. It's not like owning a hotel or airline. People love their teams. They help tie families together. Some of my happiest memories are based around sports. Even though I'm in a serious beef with the Boston Red Sox, if they ever moved, it'd be devastating. I feel for these Oakland fans. They're on the brink of losing three teams in five years. Sure, the Warriors are still close in San Francisco, but Vegas is about to steal the two teams people associate with Oakland. It's so fucked up.
Unfortunately, all good things most come to end, and this is what the A's crowd looked like Wednesday night.
But they'll always have Tuesday night. The A's won 2-1. Here's some highlights from the crowd:
Oakland native and Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong supports the movement!!!
1 Comment
1/17/2025 08:12:52 pm
Absolutely agree with the sentiments in this post! The Oakland A’s reverse boycott is a powerful stand for the fans who’ve been dedicated to the team through thick and thin. It’s great to see the fans coming together for such a meaningful cause. Thanks for highlighting this important moment in sports activism! Leave a Reply. |
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