Seat-stealers, beware: A’s beef up security with ‘playoff-level’ staffing for Oakland finale
Two games remain in the Oakland Athletics’ final series at the stadium they’ve called home for more than half a century, and already the mayhem has begun.
OK, not really mayhem.
More like mild-mannered mischief.
On Tuesday night, as the A’s notched a 5-4 walk-off win over the Texas Rangers, a couple of crafty fans attempted to take home a special memento from the team’s antepenultimate game at the Oakland Coliseum:
A pair of seats.
A video circulating on social media shows two people lifting a seating structure from the stands with the apparent intention of casually strolling away with a supersized souvenir from the A’s home venue since 1968.
On the eve of the Athletics playing their final home series in Oakland, Rep. Barbara Lee shares her thoughts on the team leaving and what comes next.
They didn’t make it far.
“The fans did not leave the ballpark with the seats,” the A’s told The Times in an email, declining to say whether the culprits faced any punishment or if law enforcement became involved.
“We ask that fans refrain from damaging the Coliseum during the final two games,” the team said. “We appreciate the majority of fans who are celebrating with us responsibly.”
The stadium is being sold to the African American Sports & Entertainment Group. The Oakland Roots SC of the USL, which will play their home games at the Coliseum next year, reposted a video of the attempted seat heist on X.
“Hey Fam, we’re playing at the Coliseum next year and we would love to save some seats for you all!” the soccer team wrote. “Love and respect.”
The A’s will play in Sacramento for three seasons starting next year. The heat was so extreme last week that a nearby minor league team started games at 10 a.m.
It’s no secret that a great 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 between.
The team’s final game in Oakland is Thursday afternoon, and it’s a sellout. The A’s have averaged an MLB-worst attendance of 10,700 this season, well below the Coliseum’s listed capacity of 46,765. USA Today recently reported that players and staff have been instructed not to linger on the field after the game because of possible safety concerns.
The A’s said that report “is not accurate.”
“Thursday is a getaway day for our team, and players will follow the traditional postgame schedule to catch their flight,” said the team, which closes the season with a three-game road series against the Seattle Mariners starting Friday. “They were not instructed to leave early due to security reasons.”
Asked if any extra security measures will be in place, the A’s told The Times: “Our goal is to provide the best fan experience possible for the final game. Staffing levels will be consistent with typical playoff-level staffing at the Oakland Coliseum.”
While the Dodgers are entrenched in L.A., California has seen its share of cities, including Oakland, lose pro baseball teams. What’s causing the issue?
Go beyond the scoreboard
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