The Oakland Athletics will play their final series in the East Bay this week before the franchise packs up and heads north to their new temporary home in Sacramento next season.
Ahead of the three-game slate against the Texas Rangers at the Oakland Coliseum, A's owner John Fisher wrote a letter to the Oakland fan base that has supported the franchise since it moved from Kansas City in 1968.
"There are millions of dedicated and passionate A's fans, in Oakland and around the world," Fisher wrote. "Countless dedicated staff members and Oakland Coliseum employees have poured their hearts into this team, and their efforts have meant so much to our community. I know there is great disappointment, even bitterness.
"Though I wish I could speak to each one of you individually, I can tell you this from the heart: We tried. Staying in Oakland was our goal, it was our mission, and we failed to achieve it. And for that I am genuinely sorry."
John Fisher released a letter to A's fans ahead of their final series being played in Oakland.
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 23, 2024
(via @KleinschmidtJD) pic.twitter.com/Br8xCiVZKx
Fisher and the A's aim to move the franchise to Las Vegas by the 2028 season and plan to play in Sacramento for the next three seasons while they are between permanent homes. However, the construction of their proposed $1.5 billion ballpark project in Las Vegas is not yet underway. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported earlier this month that the ballpark design is "sitting at about 50% complete" while Fisher wants to begin construction next spring.
Although their relocation to Las Vegas is not officially official, the A's will indeed play in California's capital city next season at Sutter Health Park, the home of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats. Per the San Francisco Chronicle, the A's plan to lay off over 230 employees in Oakland after the 2024 campaign concludes as they move to Sacramento.
Like many of Fisher's public statements in recent years, his letter to the fan base was not received well by the A's faithful and the general MLB world.
I see he missed the part about near-singlehandedly driving the team into the ground over a number of years and forcing the fans into apathy.
— Schlasser (@UrinatingTree) September 23, 2024
That's pretty easy to overlook, so it's understandable. https://t.co/wCKvuoRnxm
"Though I wish I could speak to each one of you individually....."
— Doug Gray (@dougdirt24) September 23, 2024
The Athletics have had comments turned off on social media for over a year. https://t.co/4xoTljcTFU
In 2004 the A's gave Eric Chavez 66 million
— fan of the Yankees (@realboshek) September 23, 2024
In 2005 John Fisher took over the A's
20 years later.... Eric Chavez is still the biggest contract in A's history
2024 John Fisher "we tried" https://t.co/F7mQ7SvsAh
As @EvanDrellich points out, there was no “binding agreement” to find a new home, it was just what Fisher had to do to keep collecting corporate welfare. He is, as ever, lying, backed by an MLB revenue-sharing scheme that underwrites failure and dishonesty. https://t.co/VgITOJMGPh
— Joe Sheehan (@joe_sheehan) September 23, 2024
I’ll never understand how you can write out ALL that history & STILL say “oh, we tried our best, which clearly sucked & failed, and so, it is what it is”.
— Myra✨ (@thatgirlmyra_) September 23, 2024
My heart is with y’all, A’s fans. https://t.co/zbzVRGavj8
“I know we screwed you over, but please continue giving me your money after I’ve moved your team to Las Vegas… or wherever.”
— Tylor (@thatguytylor) September 23, 2024
John Fisher sucks. https://t.co/MRR7KX2YJh
The A's are scheduled to take on the Rangers at 6:40 p.m. PT Tuesday in the series opener. The final game at the Oakland Coliseum will begin at 12:37 p.m. PT Thursday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as John Fisher Writes Widely Panned Letter to A's Fans Before Final Oakland Series.