The Oakland Athletics have two games left in the stadium they have called home for more than half a century, and the chaos has already begun.
OK, not really chaos.
More of a gentle playfulness.
On Tuesday night, as the A’s cruised to a 5-4 victory over the Texas Rangers, a few crafty fans attempted to bring home a special memento from the team’s penultimate game at the Oakland Coliseum:
A pair of seats.
A video circulating on social media shows two people lifting a structure of grandstand seats with the apparent intention of quietly walking away with an oversized souvenir from the A’s stadium since 1968.
They didn’t get very far.
“The fans did not leave the stadium with the seats,” the A’s told the Times in an email, declining to say whether the culprits faced any punishment or whether law enforcement was involved.
“We ask that fans refrain from damaging the Coliseum during the final two games,” the team said. “We appreciate the majority of fans celebrating with us responsibly.”
The stadium is being sold to African American Sports & Entertainment Group. The USL’s Oakland Roots SC, who will play their home games at the Coliseum next year, reposted a video of the attempted seat theft on X.
“Hey Fam, we’re playing at the Coliseum next year and we’d like to save some tickets for you all!” the football team wrote. “Love and respect.”
It’s no secret that a large number of fans are upset with A’s owner John Fisher over the team’s impending move to Las Vegas, with a stop in Sacramento in the meantime.
The team’s final game in Oakland will be Thursday afternoon and will be played to a sold-out crowd. The A’s have averaged an MLB-record attendance of 10,700 this season, well below the Coliseum’s listed capacity of 46,765. USA Today recently reported that players and staff were instructed not to linger on the field after the game due to potential safety concerns.
The A’s said the report “is not accurate.”
“Thursday is a day of rest for our team, and players will follow the traditional post-game routine to catch their flights,” said the team, which closes the season with a three-game road series against the Seattle Mariners starting Friday. “They have not been ordered to leave early due to safety concerns.”
Asked about additional safety measures, the A’s told the Times: “Our goal is to provide the best possible fan experience for the final game. Attendance will be consistent with playoff teams at the Oakland Coliseum.”
