It has been relatively quiet on the A’s fan protest front other than a few signs here and there in the organized resistance to owner John Fisher’s plan to move the Athletics to Sacramento and eventually Las Vegas.
That will end on April 27 when Oakland diehards mobilized by the fan groups Last Dive Bar and Oakland 68s make their presence known in Sacramento for the first time.
SELL MEETS SAC!!!
Time to introduce ourselves to Vivek!!!
LDB & the 68’s are heading up North and we want your support!
Secure a ticket to the lawn and let’s pack the grass! Wear SELL gear, bring your flag and let’s make sure Vivek hears us loud and clear!
Get your tix… pic.twitter.com/e3KWQVA9J9
— Last Dive Bar (@LastDiveBar) April 15, 2024
The plan as announced Monday on the Last Dive Bar website is for A’s fans opposed to Fisher’s ownership to buy as many lawn seats as possible for the Sacramento River Cats game against the Las Vegas Aviators — the first time the movement has taken on Sacramento directly after the club’s announcement that it would play from 2025 through at least 2027 at Sutter Health Park.
Sacramento is the Triple-A affiliate of the Giants, Las Vegas of the Athletics.
In conjunction with Vivek Ranadive, who owns both the NBA Sacramento Kings and the Pacific Coast League River Cats, the A’s and owner John Fisher on April 4 agreed to play at the Triple-A Stadium rent-free until their proposed stadium in Las Vegas can be financed and built.
If all goes according to plan, it will be the last year for the A’s at the Coliseum. A’s fans who have protested the move plan on continuing the fight.
“That’s our response and to let Vivek know we’re not going away,” Last Dive Bar co-founder Bryan Johansen said. “Just because you’re going to Sacramento doesn’t mean we aren’t going to haunt you and make sure everything you do is exposed and make sure the community knows exactly who they’re dealing with and how they’re helping someone like John Fisher.”
After the announcement of the Sacramento move, A’s president Dave Kaval talked of making it a “memorable” last year at the Coliseum. Included in the plans are increased alumni participation, discounts discounted tickets and hot dogs and a Coliseum replica on Sept. 26 for the first 25,000 fans — the last scheduled game at the site.
“I mean, it’s a joke, an embarrassment,” said Aaron Casanares of the Oakland 68s. “How many times has (Kaval) lied to Oakland? To the fan base? To other cities?”
The A’s are currently 7-9 and have won three straight series for the first time since 2021, although leaders in the “sell” movement sound resolute in their promise to boycott.
The A’s drew 8,637 Sunday with the help of a Little League day, and Stu Clary, who helped organize the first fan boycott at the Coliseum, doesn’t see it getting much better. Average attendance through 10 home games is 5,948 — the lowest in the major leagues.
Clary lives in Vacaville and said he had no plans on attending a game in Sacramento even though it’s closer to his home, although he was contacted before the plans to actually protest in Sacramento.
“People are staying way in droves,” Clary said. “Haven’t been to a game yet. I think people will be excited the team is playing well, and I’m glad to see that. But I don’t think it really moves the needle.”
Ranadive’s courting of the A’s comes off as hypocritical to those in the protest movement who remember him saving the Sacramento Kings from moving to Seattle, Virginia Beach or Anaheim.
“The Kings owner steps in and saves them,” Clary said. “Now that same guy has enabled John Fisher to move the team to West Sac and those same people that were beside themselves about losing a team have enabled another team to leave.”
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Johansen and others remain optimistic that Fisher will be unable to close a deal in Las Vegas and that the A’s could eventually wind up in Oakland under new ownership willing to fund a stadium.
“Vegas is shaky. There’s no financing, no investors lining up,” Johansen said. “Why aren’t things moving along? The narrative in Vegas is starting to mount about not wanting Fisher there.”
Given California’s reluctance in publicly funding a stadium, it’s not clear with Ranadive would have the means buy the A’s from Fisher and bring the A’s to Sacramento should the Las Vegas deal fall through.
“I’m banking on the incompetency of Fisher and Kaval that the deal is going to blow up because everything they do never works out,” Casanares said. “There’s a clear path to Oakland.”