How Oakland Lost Three Major Sports Teams in Just Five Years
The Warriors crossed the Bay, the Raiders headed to Las Vegas, and the Athletics left after 57 seasons. How did one city lose so much of its sports identity?
Athletes World
• In just five years, Oakland lost the Warriors, Raiders and Athletics, ending an era of major professional sports and leaving generations of loyal fans behind.
On June 13, 2023, nearly 28,000 Oakland Athletics fans packed the Coliseum, many wearing green shirts with one word printed across the front: SELL.
They weren't protesting by staying home. They were protesting by showing up.
The "reverse boycott" was meant to prove that Oakland still cared about baseball, even as the Athletics were preparing to leave. The announced attendance was 27,759, with fans chanting for owner John Fisher to sell the team. (ESPN, 2023)
But Oakland had a bigger problem. Two other major sports franchises had already left the city.
They weren't protesting by staying home. They were protesting by showing up.
The "reverse boycott" was meant to prove that Oakland still cared about baseball, even as the Athletics were preparing to leave. The announced attendance was 27,759, with fans chanting for owner John Fisher to sell the team. (ESPN, 2023)
But Oakland had a bigger problem. Two other major sports franchises had already left the city.
