On Sept. 26, 2024, the Oakland Athletics (A’s) played their last game in the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s leaving Oakland marks yet another loss for sports in the Bay Area, as they are moving to Las Vegas. With little attendance at games and outdated facilities, the A’s had financial burdens that could no longer support the team remaining in Oakland. While the organization made efforts to fight for a new ballpark, management made the decision to move the A’s to Las Vegas. Now more than ever, cities are facing economic challenges and struggling to keep their beloved teams from leaving. The Warriors and Raiders both left Oakland due to not having stadium improvements.
The A’s were in Oakland for 57 years, building a die-hard fanbase along the way. Devastated to see them leave, fans have expressed their frustration with the team management. Junior Willie Steele explains his lifelong support as an A’s fan and his feelings toward their departure.
“I’ve been a fan since I knew what baseball was. When I was younger I could just go to games, and their atmosphere was just better, I would say, better than the Giants,” Steele said.
John Fisher, the owner of the A’s, is facing backlash as Oakland fans believe he did not invest enough into the team, leading to their eventual sale to Las Vegas.
“It’s just the owner, John Fisher, he’s terrible. We had so many good players earlier, like Matt Chapman and Matt Olson, that he just traded away [to save money],” Steele said. “I bought one of their jerseys and now I can’t wear it anymore because they’re not on the team. So you can’t stay loyal to players, because they’re just gone.”
Due to a declining roster and deteriorating stadium, fans felt less inclined to go to games and the franchise was losing money. Their stadium, the Colosseum, is one of the oldest and most iconic in Major League Baseball. However, with diminished revenue, the A’s could not keep up with the financial burden of the stadium and team.
“Since the management is so terrible, [fans] don’t want to [go to the games] because their favorite players are now gone. They just don’t want to be there. So I guess it just feels sad.” Steele said.
Teacher Ms. Kornfeld posing with her Oakland A’s flag in her classroom, showing her lifelong connection with the Oakland A’s.
Additionally, Lindsey Kornfeld, history teacher and lifelong A’s fan, explains her frustration with the A’s moving to Vegas and the management team’s decision-making.
“Coming from a fan’s perspective, I don’t think John Fisher has Oakland fans or Oakland baseball at the core of his decision-making. I think he has profit at the core of his decision-making,” Kornfeld said.
As the Oakland A’s closed their last game, fans felt betrayed and sad that their decade-long team was leaving. The A’s temporary home as of now is Sacramento. However, they will be moving to Las Vegas once their new stadium is built.
