"SELL" Flag Makes it Behind Home Plate During Oakland A's Game

Jason Burke | Jul 3, 2024

May 3, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; An Oakland Athletics fan holds up a Sell flag during the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

With Mason Miller on the mound to close out the Los Angeles Angels, the drama for the game was supposed to be over. The A's led 7-3 when the ninth inning began, but the Angels started off with a walk from Brandon Drury, followed by a two-out RBI double from Nolan Schanuel, and an RBI single from Luis Rengifo that made it 7-5.

Miller started off Taylor Ward with a slider up and in, and after Ward turned away from the pitch, Miller threw another, this time just outside of the zone. Ward turned away again. Then Miller dropped a slider at the bottom of the zone, which Ward made weak contact with on a pitch that went foul. Given the lack of interest from Ward on Miller's slider, the A's closer threw him a final one way out of the zone, down and away, that Ward flailed at for strike three, ending the game.

At the ballpark, "Celebrate" blared over the speakers to signify the A's win.

Yet, the viewers at home had a very different ninth inning "SELL-ebration." A fan behind home plate chose Jo Adell's at-bat (a strikeout) to go right behind home, in a place that the camera can't move away from, and unfurled a green "SELL" flag, the likes of which have been all over social media all around the world.

The subtlest of protests against A's owner John Fisher just occurred. See if you can spot it. pic.twitter.com/TsgXPxbMwG

— Roger Cormier (yayroger.bsky.social) (@yayroger) July 3, 2024

The still image above doesn't do justice to what actually unfolded--literally. The flag that is pictured on the left-hand side of the freeze frame moves all the way to above the yellow sign in the video. The protester is there for one pitch, and then by the time the next pitch rolls around, they're being escorted out of the ballpark by security.

While fan protests have been a little subdued of late due to one-time A's fans taking an interest in the Oakland Ballers, along with other activities that don't give A's owner John Fisher any of their money, there have been little clips like this that will pop up to remind people that A's fans still care about the team, they're just done with Fisher.

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