A's fans throw Opening Day party outside Oakland Coliseum

Jason Burke | Mar 29, 2024

To celebrate potentially the last Opening Day in Oakland history, A's fans threw a party. Not the 13,522 that were in attendance who enjoyed themselves in their own way, but a crowd of at least that size that gathered in the parking lot, waving their "Sell" flags, bumping their music, and just having a good time with their friends.

Walking up to the event, there were rows filled with cars that had their flags waving in the wind. The grills were out cooking burgers and hot dogs. Footballs were being thrown. Kids and their parents were playing catch. Outside the ballpark was everything baseball says it cares about.

Community, diversity, and inclusion. It was all there.

The vibes outside the ballpark were fun-loving, much the same as they were for last June's reverse boycott in the same parking lot. This time, only some of the fans outside went inside for the game, however, in an effort to make a statement and also cost owner John Fisher his biggest gate of the season.

Schools over Stadiums had a tent in the parking lot that was taking donations to fight the A's public funding in Las Vegas. Alexander Marks, who has now been to both Fans Fest and this boycott game as a member of S.O.S., said that the community in Oakland is something he doesn't think exists anywhere else in sports, let alone in Las Vegas.

A's manager Mark Kotsay told reporters before the game that his heart is with the fans during this time, and that if this is the last Opening Day in Oakland history, "I'm right where I want to be, and I'm honored to be part of it."

The A's announced attendance of 13,522 is just about half of the 26,805 that the team drew last year for the season's first game. Outside of 2021 when the Coliseum was following pandemic guidelines, the lowest home Opening Day attendance was when the A's drew 7,292 in 1996. Problem is, that was in Las Vegas while the Coliseum was being renovated for the returning Raiders.

Outside of that, the A's have drawn fewer fans in Oakland just three times, and all three came against the Minnesota Twins in the 1970s. The lowest attended game of the trio came in 1972 when the A's drew 9,912 fans. They drew 12,562 in 1977 and 10,387 in 1979.

While things certainly don't look good for the A's chances to find a way back to Oakland, even as an interim solution, the fans that were in attendance on Thursday night--both inside and outside--came to enjoy themselves in the way that they saw fit. The fans watching the game were loud and invested in the game, typical for an A's opener. They even had a short-lived "Sell the team" chant.

Walking up the ramp to the ballpark after leaving the tailgate, it was hard not to be flooded with emotions while taking everything in. This team has been part of families for generations, and unless there is some divine intervention on deck, this was likely the final opening day in Oakland A's history. This team connects people with their grandparents and parents that are no longer with us. It connects parents with their kids. Friends with one another.

While Thursday night was a celebration of sorts, it also felt like the beginning of the end.