Thousands of fans protested at the Oakland Coliseum for the Athletics' 2024 MLB season opener Thursday night, refusing to step inside the stadium.
Two fan groups, the Last Dive Bar and the Oakland 68s, asked fans to stay in the parking lot during Thursday's game between the A's and Cleveland Guardians for what they called a block party protest.
The groups have launched a website to "channel our collective frustration into positive action" in an effort to send A's owner John Fisher the message they want the team to stay in Oakland and not move to Las Vegas.
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Some fans told NBC Bay Area on Thursday that the happiness they usually feel during Opening Day was gone due to the team's planned move to Vegas.
There were a lot of “sell” shirts, signs and flags as fans continued to ask the A's ownership to sell the team.
“We love this team like no other and it hurts and it's painful," said Bryan Johansen, co-owner of Last Dive Bar. "We hope that [MLB commissioner Rob] Manfred and John Fisher will work on the side and work a deal, where he can sell the team and we can get local ownership to keep the A’s rooted in Oakland."
“The community deserves to have a say in what happens in our own backyards," Vanessa Riles said. "The Fisher family, the A’s should not be the ones determining what’s happening in East Oakland. They should not be allowed to continue to block safety, health, a thriving and vital community."
For some fans attending the boycott and staying in the parking lot, it meant missing Opening Day for the first time in decades.
“I have not missed an Opening Day in 25 years,” said Anson Casanares, vice president of the Oakland 68s. “Why would I spend my money inside? Why spend my passion inside if they’re trying to leave here?”
San Jose resident Maggie Robles also is a lifelong A’s fan. She opted to tailgate instead of going into the ballpark. She said that she was missing Opening Day for the first time in years, but understands the bigger picture of showing solidarity with A’s fans coming to grips with the team moving to another city.
“It hurts me that I’m not in there, but sometimes you have to take a stand for things you believe in and to get a message around,” she said.
Local groups also are demanding the Alameda County Board of Supervisors terminate its agreement to sell their portion of the Coliseum to A’s ownership partners and instead sell it to the city of Oakland.
Fan groups are working to raise $100,000 that would go towards Nevada-based group “Schools Over Stadiums.” The group is looking to stop the public funding of the new $1.5 billion Las Vegas ballpark the team is expected to move into in 2028. MLB owners approved the A's move to Las Vegas last fall.
The A’s lease at the Coliseum is up at the end of this season. The team, the city of Oakland and Alameda County are in discussions about a possible extension, though nothing has been confirmed.
In the meantime, organizers of Thursday's boycott said they are just getting started with these type of events. They said to expect more tailgate boycott events throughout the A's season.