Why were 'sell the team' chants heard at Dodger Stadium? Exploring the reason behind fans' protest
The Oakland Athletics' game against the LA Dodgers at Dodger Stadium witnessed a familiar sight when fans from both teams joined forces to chant ‘sell the team’ in a protest against the Oakland owners.
Fans of the Oakland A's have been relentless in letting their feelings known about the club's proposed relocation to Las Vegas.
Oakland fans had urged people to organize peaceful protests ahead of the game against the Dodgers, and the spectators at Dodger Stadium obliged the call on Tuesday night.
Dodgers and A’s fans joined together for “SELL THE TEAM” chants in LA tonight pic.twitter.com/Ao7jZv9ZBo
Fans of both teams engaged in peaceful protest as loud chants of 'sell the team' echoed at the venue. Oakland A’s fans want owner John Fisher to sell the team instead of relocating the franchise to Nevada. It has become a recurring pattern whenever the A's play in the MLB this season.
Last week, fans from Oakland and their rivals, the San Francisco Giants, came together for a peaceful protest at Oracle Park under the banner of "Unite the Bay."
The protests started after the Oakland owners decided to relocate the franchise to a Las Vegas ballpark after their lease with the Coliseum (current ballpark) expires at the end of the 2024 season.
The franchise will be relocating to a new city for the third time in its history, as the team had played in Philadelphia and Kansas City before moving to Oakland.
The Oakland Athletics nearing Vegas switch despite fan protests at Dodger Stadium
Oakland fans have taken to the streets and social media to vent their anger and frustration after the decision was made public by the owners earlier this year.
Giants' manager Gabe Kapler, who witnessed the protest by the Oakland fans last week, welcomed the decision of peaceful protests by the loyal fans:
“I’m all for a peaceful protest,” Gabe Kapler said. “Totally understand the sentiment in the Bay and totally understand the sentiment in the stadium tonight.”
Kapler sympathized with the situation of the A's fans, as it is a tough pill to swallow for any fanbase to witness their favorite team move to a different location.
“It’s challenging to see a team you may have grown up supporting and may have spent your most formative years rooting for, and potentially not having them around anymore. That’s has to be challenging for any fan base.”
Talking about the game in LA, the A's succumbed to a 7-3 loss in the series opener against the Dodgers on Tuesday night.