The Oakland Athletics are kicking off the season at home against the Cleveland Guardians as fans are ticked off and once again planning a major boycott and choosing not to attend as part of their long-running pushback over the team's potential move to Las Vegas.
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said he understands, per John Shea of The San Francisco Chronicle:
“Mark Kotsay on tonight’s fan boycott in Coliseum parking lot: “My heart is with the fans. I understand the emotion and impact and this organization’s history of 55 years of being here and their emotion and passion of wanting to keep this team here and the way they express it.”'
Thousands of A's fans are expected to arrive at the Oakland Coliseum for Thursday night's home opener, but many will not be spending their money to buy a ticket and go inside.
Fans want to send a message to Athletics owner John Fisher that they want the team to stay in Oakland instead of moving to Las Vegas. Loyal backers of the team angry over the relocation are boycotting the game and plan to pack the parking lot with a massive tailgate.
The fan organization Save Oakland Sports is hosting the party with other groups including the Oakland Raiders Boosters Club, Last Dive Bar and Ladies Love Oakland Sports. The tailgate party will provide food and beverages and include amplified music by the “A Lot Brew Crew.”
The event is being held in the southside Coliseum parking lot B next to the two electrical towers, organizers said.
Mark Kotsay says Athletics' losing wears on him
The A'shave had a couple of brutal seasons in the last two years, and now are in the process of moving to Las Vegas, a decision that has angered fans of the team that will be playing in their fourth city in less than 75 years when the team relocates in 2028.
Kotsay has been tasked with the unenviable job of getting his ballclub ready to play, despite the turmoil surrounding the team.
The A's manager spoke about the challenges involved in keeping a team in transition focused after losing 102 and 112 games in the last two seasons:
“I can never shake that,” Kotsay said. “Our character gets challenged at times. It’s not easy. No one accepts losing. No one in that clubhouse was happy about last year or the previous season. You use that as motivation. People say you have to go through failure to get better. We’ve been through a lot of failure. I do believe there are better days in front of us.”
The Athletics know that they'll be in Las Vegas in several years, but Kotsay and his team still don't know where they will be playing from 2025-27. The team will play one final season at the Oakland Coliseum in 2024, the final year of the franchise's lease. With the $1.5 billion Las Vegas stadium expected to be ready in 2028, the A's need to find a home for the three years in between.
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