The Oakland Athletics didn't exactly have a capacity crowd for their Opening Day matchup with the Cleveland Guardians. That's because many Athletics fans were boycotting the start of the season outside of the Oakland Coliseum in response to the team's decision to move to Las Vegas.
Several Oakland fan groups, including the Oakland 68's and The Last Dive Bar, organized a boycott as they purchased tickets in order to set up a block party in the parking lot. The estimated attendance was only 13,522.
Attendance for Opening Day in Oakland: 13,522
— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) March 29, 2024
Thousands more were seen outside in the parking lot and chose not attend the game in an effort to boycott ownership. pic.twitter.com/OYEAHmTfQ4
Hundreds of fans reportedly flooded the parking lot, many of whom were wearing t-shirts and waving flags with the word "Sell" across the front.
"Everyone's in such a good mood because we're all here for the same thing," Athletics fan Edward Silva told the Associated Press. "Everyone knows the score. So everyone's on the same page, and just creating a wonderful atmosphere."
The Athletics are still planning to move the team to Las Vegas in 2028 after they couldn't reach a deal to build a new stadium in the Bay Area. The team's fanbase previously attempted a reverse boycott as they urged owner John Fisher to sell the franchise.
