Oakland Athletics fans are planning another season-long boycott now that the team’s relocation has been approved by MLB’s owners. The fan revolt will start on Opening Day, with fans planning to tailgate outside the game without ever going in.
According to The Athletic, fan groups the Oakland 68s and The Last Dive Bar are joining forces to show their disapproval of A’s owner John Fisher. Oakland fans participated in several boycotts last year, but Oakland 68s president Jorge Leon says the protests will be taken up a notch in 2024
“I tell people, if you think this was a crazy year, wait until next year,” Leon told The Athletic. “We’re gonna go even harder.”
The Last Dive Bar is also promoting an initiative for A’s fans to donate the money that would have been spent on season tickets to Schools Over Stadiums, a group in Nevada trying to block public funding from the state that is slated to go toward the team’s new stadium in Vegas.
The fan boycott seems to be having some sort of effect on the A’s, at least as far as the March 28 home opener is concerned. The Athletics are offering a BOGO deal for that game against the Cleveland Guardians.
Last year, the A’s were dead last in average attendance at 10,275, which was more than 4,000 fans lower than the team in 29th place, the Miami Marlins. It may be just as bad, or even worse, in 2024
Back in November, MLB owners unanimously approved the franchise’s move to Sin City. However, Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman recently said the A’s should “figure out a way to stay in Oakland and make their dream come true.”
Goodman later clarified her remarks, saying that Las Vegas would be a “spectacular market” for the Athletics if they are unable to find a solution in Oakland.
