• Loading stock data...
Saturday, August 23, 2025
The biggest names in sports media. All in one room. Buy tickets now!

A’s Say Goodbye to Oakland After 57 Seasons: ‘It’s Like a Wake’

  • A sellout crowd bids goodbye as the A’s are set to move to Sacramento and ultimately Las Vegas.
  • The final game carries a heavy, downbeat vibe.
Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

A wave of sadness washed over the Oakland Coliseum and the A’s fan base Thursday afternoon as the team played its final game in the Bay Area after 57 seasons, an occasion that was well-known and has been approaching for months but still carried a massive emotional punch. 

The A’s beat the Rangers 3-2 in front of a sellout crowd of 46,889 on a bright, sunny day in the Bay Area. But the on-field outcome or the local conditions hardly mattered as A’s fans still are coming to grips with the club’s move to Sacramento for a three-year interim stop before ultimately relocating to Las Vegas. The turnout marked the largest home crowd in Oakland in more than five years, and by far the highest attendance figure for an MLB team playing its final home game in a city.

Regional coverage Thursday on NBC Sports California redistributed to large parts of the U.S. through the MLB Network, used the word “funeral” multiple times, and the game broadcast and shoulder programming indeed carried an overtly downbeat vibe.

A’s legends and memories of four World Series-winning seasons in Oakland were a prominent part of the team’s final series at the Coliseum, including former star pitcher Dave Stewart and franchise icon and Baseball Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson taking part in pregame ceremonies Thursday. But again, the presence of the stars and Oakland natives was hardly a heroic homecoming.

“It’s kind of like you go to the wake, view the body, talk about memories, and then have the actual breakdown,” Stewart said during pregame coverage on NBC Sports California. Stewart and Henderson, however, were quick to absolve the fans in any of this, calling them “the greatest fans in baseball, and don’t let anybody tell you anything different.”

Coliseum security and local police presence were heightened for the entire final home series. During the game, there were a few minor disturbances including a fan running onto the field and some thrown objects. Following the game, A’s players, coaches, and on-field staff saluted the fans as manager Mark Kotsay gave a brief address to a crowd that stayed in the ballpark well after the final out.

“I think we should all pay homage to this amazing stadium that we’ve had the privilege and pleasure of enjoying for 57 years,” he said.

All About the Owner

A’s owner John Fisher, though not publicly part of any of the on-field ceremonies, was a central figure in the final game. Fisher was the one who struck the deals to move the franchise, the one who chronically underspent on the club relative to its market size, and the one who helped drive A’s attendance to by far the worst in the league. An open letter to fans posted by Fisher earlier this week did little to quell any of that fan anger. 

Others, including former A’s managing partner and longtime Fisher partner Lew Wolff, have instead pointed their anger toward the neighboring Giants, who engaged in a long-running territorial dispute that ultimately precluded the A’s from pursuing a stadium deal in the San Jose area.

As has been the case for much of the past two years and particularly this week, T-shirts and signs reading “SELL” were a common sight at the Coliseum on Thursday. Fan chants of “sell the team” rang out repeatedly as well. 

“There’s a lot of people here who invested their lives and their souls into this organization and into this stadium and into the game of baseball,” Kotsay said. 

Despite fan requests to open up “Mount Davis”—the Coliseum’s large outfield seating section built in the 1990s for the NFL’s Raiders—for additional capacity, the A’s ultimately declined to do so. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Samuel Basallo

Orioles Give Catcher Record Extension Amid Adley Rutschman’s Stunning Fall

Samuel Basallo’s reported $67M deal would be a record for pre-arbitration catchers.

$2B A’s Vegas Stadium Hits Milestones, on Track for 2028

Construction progress and costs pick up in the Las Vegas project.
Mo Vaughn

How Michael Bloomberg Jump-Started Mo Vaughn’s Business Career

The Red Sox legend had a sprawling housing empire before starting a podcast.
Jul 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announces the pick for the Athletics pick during the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy.

MLB Confident New Rights Will Exceed $550M ESPN Deal

MLB would redistribute rights forfeited by ESPN back in February.

Featured Today

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up as the Texas Longhorns prepare to play the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.

Schools Are Hesitant to Allow PE Into Their Athletic Departments

Regardless of budget, schools don’t believe the risk is worth the reward.
Oct 2, 2024; Rosemont, IL, USA; Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti speaks with the media during the 2024 Big Ten Women’s Basketball media day at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
August 22, 2025

‘Not Ready to Jump In’: Power 4 Commissioners Aren’t Sold on PE

Top leaders in college sports have yet to see a satisfactory proposal.
Nov 23, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks at quarterback Drew Allar (15) during the first quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium.
August 22, 2025

Private Equity Enters College Sports—Without the Equity

As college football starts, lending agreements have become PE’s best way in.
Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants running back Eric Gray (20) returns a kickoff against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at MetLife Stadium.
August 18, 2025

‘Fauxbacks’ Throw Back to a Retro Uniform That Never Existed

Many throwback jerseys are brand-new designs or “Franken-Unis.”
August 20, 2025

Yankees TV Ratings Swing Up 5% From 2024, 12% Higher Than Mets

The club’s local viewership improves, due largely to surges in streaming.
Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore
August 21, 2025

Timberwolves Lay Off Dozens After A-Rod, Lore Take Over

Rodriguez and Lore took over the Wolves and Lynx in June.
Sponsored

Building A Pro League From Scratch

Front Office Sports and Gainbridge® spotlight what it takes to build a professional women’s soccer league.
Bay FC
August 20, 2025

Bay FC Set to Break NWSL Attendance Record in San Francisco

NWSL players have often resisted playing at baseball stadiums.
August 19, 2025

Rockies Are No Longer on Record-Setting Path to Rock Bottom

The MLB club’s play improves considerably.
May 7, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) react after a play against the New York Knicks in the second quarter during game two of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden.
August 19, 2025

Full Celtics Ownership Picture Clearer As Chisholm Takes Over 

Chisholm immediately takes over as lead governor.
August 18, 2025

MLB’s Payroll Powerhouses Bounce Back After Summer Swoon

MLB’s top spenders have begun to regain their footing.