OAKLAND-. Many fans in the Oakland Coliseum were standing in the parking lot when Alex Wood threw out the first pitch of the season for the Athleticsbefore the Cleveland Guardians.
And they had no intention of entering the stadium.
In protest of the plans to move A's to Las Vegas in 2028, different groups of supporters boycotted the inaugural meeting of the campaign on Thursday. They bought tickets to the game but held a party in front of the stadium instead of cheering on the team.
Half an hour before the first pitch, hundreds of fans gathered in the far corner of the parking lot. Many wore t-shirts with messages asking to sell the team. Others carried flags or showed caricatures of club executives, including owner John Fisher and president Dave Kaval.
Most danced to live music, and dined on what the food trucks offered.
Dennis Biles said Thursday's game was the A's first home game he has missed in five years. The fan, a subscriber since 2007, preferred to attend a local university to continue attending games in Oakland.
He said other fans have made similar sacrifices to support the club.
“For a long time I really believed that the A’s were dedicated to the community,” Biles said. “And I really believed all that talk.”
The A's plan to relocate to Las Vegas within four years. However, there is uncertainty about where they will play after this season, as their Coliseum lease will expire.
The options of Salt Lake City and Sacramento have been mentioned, as well as the possibility of sharing Oracle Park with the San Francisco Giants.
