Is this the beginning of the end for the A's in the Bay Area?
The Oakland A’s completed its final 2023 home series on Sunday afternoon against the Detroit Tigers at the Coliseum. The A’s ownership says it wants to move to Las Vegas by the end of the 2024 season.
With the new schedule coming out, it looks like the Athletics will be in Oakland one more year and fans say they’re going to take in as many games as they can before the team possibly moves to Las Vegas.
The average home game attendance for the A’s is just over 8,500 in a stadium capable of seating three times that number.
The team’s loss against the Tigers Sunday ties the 1979 A’s with the most losses in franchise history with 108. It’s a far cry from the championship teams of the 1970’s and 1989.
“I used to some here back when Vida Blue played, beck when Reggie Jackson played. Sal Bando, Joe Rudi,” said Roseville resident Randy Torres.
Oakland fans blame team owner John Fisher, who they say gave up on this A’s season when he announced his plans to move the team to Las Vegas months ago.
The fans chanted “sell the team” at the start of the fifth inning and some hold out hope the A’s won’t move.
“I wish he’s just sell and get this over with and let them stay here,” Torres said.
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Fans also gave their thoughts the idea of a major league expansion team possibly coming to Oakland some day.
“It won’t be the same. This was my childhood. This is where I spent a lot of my time in my childhood,” said Gault resident Melody Roberts.
The A’s move to Las Vegas still does still face a final approval by MLB owners who are scheduled to vote on the issue in November.