Oakland A's : Shut down Third Deck

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:22 pm

The A's just announced they are shutting down the Upper Deck for the entire 2006 season.

While it kind of sucks, I support this strategy to create artificial demand. We need less walk-up buyers and more season ticket holders. Plus the Coliseum will now be more intimate and more fun overall. Capacity is going down from 40,000 to about 34,000. The Upper Deck (as well as Mount Davis, the monstrosity past centerfield used for Raider games) will be covered with a black tarp instead.

In terms of the $2 Wednesday home games, this will still be available, but the tickets will be in the Plaza Outfield area, ie as far from the field as possible without being in the upper deck.

Now, when you go to an A's game, you are guaranteed a good view of the game.

Southpaw Slim · Post by **Southpaw Slim** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 9:05 am

WOW! I love the idea that I can see a game for $2 without needing a telescope to view the action. Also, as I'm sure anyone who's met me knows by now... FUCK YOU, AL DAVIS, AND YOUR CENTER FIELD CONCRETE MONSTER! The Coliseum was a million times better before that disgusting mass of crap was erected. You could see the BART go by and everything. Just go here to see the original rant.

AntMoOAK · Post by **AntMoOAK** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:25 am

Ain't this 'bouta b@#%@ ?!? First I get a letter saying no more third deck Season tickets $ 120 FC (like Scott alluded earlier), then I pick up the 'Trib and no more view level- even for big games. I hate it cause I love Section 334 Row 1 Seats 11-14 and sometimes 317 Row 28 seats 1. But as a go back into reguar Mr. Pragmatic mode... It makes sense. While Oakland has a good fan base (believe it or not). The stadium is WAY to big and on a decent 23,000 weeknight in June, the cavernous 63,000 seat stadium (that's with non baseball Mt. Davis) makes the team look bad. I often check the attendance figures and the A's were never really far behind in the attendance counts compared to other games on the same night. If the A's drew 19,00 paid, most of the othr stadiums were around 20k-23k save for the new parks and big matchups. They were often outdrwan badly on the weekends before the all-star break. The scalpers are loving this. Sometimes IO don't plan on going to a game, but decide at the spur of the moment and I'll less choice of seating. Oh well.I'll still be there. Now let's get rolling on this ballpark 'Nacho (if you want my vote)

Southpaw Slim · Post by **Southpaw Slim** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 11:52 pm

How come the Mariners are around 3M season total ticket sales every year, and the A's have trouble breaking 2M?!? If the fan base is so strong, why is everyone staying home? Seriously, I want to know.

AntMoOAK · Post by **AntMoOAK** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:09 am

It's complicated... but one viewpoint that I notice is that there are maybe 20-25k REAL A's and baseball in general fans. Those are the folks who you see with the old school 1988 A's roll-up cap with all the pins in it. The Little League and HS baseball players and people who root for their home team. The other 10-15k who show up are there for events... Fireworks, giveaways, Boston, NY, SF, etc... So that still doesn't explain the attendance ? Well.. the A's are also competing against that beautiful stadium and marketing machine (KNBR) that is over yonder over the bridge. The Giants pack it in not with true BB fans but with people who mosey over after work, those who go for singles night (what a joke) and business people with clients. Also THey have that guy Barry Bonds who's chasing history. Take all that away... and you have attendance worse than the A's. If it weren;t for SBC Park... who the hell wants to sit in a stinky fog in 'Frisco in April ? I don't and many others before the new stadium didn't want to neither... Giant supporters seem to forget the old days out at the 'Stick.... horrible.

So if Ignacio and the City of Oakland get of their arses and get the A's a nice stadium and liven it up a bit (They do try... notice the different types of music they play in between innings on different days.I've noticed on $1 nights more hip hop/rock; midday and weekend games more of the traditional KFRC type music thats always been at the Coliseum).

I say a beautiful park at Laney College (will never happen cursed Stan Peters) or Uptown (more condos- cursed Jerry Brown) would have been the ticket.

Post by **retep** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:36 am

AntMoOAK wrote: those who go for singles night (what a joke) and business people with clients. Also, they have that guy Barry Bonds who's chasing history. Take all that away... and you have attendance worse than the A's.

Um.... First of all, there were only two singles nights. Those two events did not gather the 1 million tickets.

Second, anyone remember that Bonds didn't play last year (save 15 games)? I know that many people got their tickets before Bonds was out, but they still showed up.

And why is Bonds chasing history challenged as a legit reason for coming out to games? True, they might not be all true fans, but the Giants put on--in that respect--a better show than Oakland or most other teams: The history being made SHOULD be a selling point and is totally legit, other than the speculation around him.

If the A's had history in the making, more casual fans would come out to games, and ya'll would be major hypocrites. Bam!

I would also take time to bitch about something that I hear every so often, that the Giants are the capitalist team and the A’s are something else. BULLSHIT! The A’s are simply a less successful and less funded capitalist franchise than the Giants. The A’s aren’t a non-fuckin-profit enterprise!

I know no one here (to my memory) has talked about that. Just needed to get this off my chest. Also, fair to point out, that I enjoy the A’s and love going to their games.

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:46 pm

Fuck the Giants! blah blah rationale blah blah uh huh yep blah blah rationale that's what I said blah blah rationale uh huh yep yep blah blah blah blah.

That was a well-thought-out point made by me just then, so don't go second-guessing my intellectual perspective!

Actually, for a few years now (ok, maybe less) I've supported any motherfucker that will go to any fuckin' game. We need more baseball, less football/basketball. So, anytime any fool is willing to shell out for some baseball, I'm all for it! And that includes the people showing up on the company's ticket, since it was paid for at some point.

All I want is baseball all the time, is this so much to ask? The only way I can begin to approach the level of baseball in my life that I need requires me to be tolerant to any and everyone who wants to come.

I do agree, however, that there's a huge degree (who knows what percentage) of Giants fans who come, not for the baseball, but rather for the stadium. Rembember my above point---I welcome even these people. But that's obviously not the case with shitty McAfee stadium over in Oakland... no one's coming to get their picture taken next to Mount Davis. I know anecdotally that so many people I speak to whom I'm trying to get into baseball are often willing to explore it, if we're talking about Pac Bell Park. That place has special appeal because of where it's located relative to the Bay (and the bay bridge), and because of the neat bricks that are used in the outfield walls, mini-pac bell park for the kiddies, etc.

AntMoOAK · Post by **AntMoOAK** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:39 pm

Peter said:

would also take time to bitch about something that I hear every so often, that the Giants are the capitalist team and the A’s are something else. BULLSHIT! The A’s are simply a less successful and less funded capitalist franchise than the Giants. The A’s aren’t a non-fuckin-profit enterprise!

Capitalist vs (fill in blank) WTF ? Huh ? I agree that doesn't jibe. All sports teams are in it to win it. That being said- you're correct that The 'Frisco 9 has the support of the thriving downtown S.F. area where there is money. Oakland being a middle sized blue collar town (until recently), does not have that corporate base... but that is not an excuse. The A's suffer from inept city leaders. The A's should have long ago had their own stadium. As much as I love the Raiders and am glad they're back where they belong, the A's have taken it with no Vaseline for many years. You give the A's a nice small stadium on the sunny side of the Bay and you'll see the attendance rise a bit. Also... to Nick... the attendance in Oakland is oft maligned unfairly and inaccurately. Oakland is 19th in the Majors at 2.1M. Seattle is 12th at 2.69M. Oakland has higher attendance than every mid size city it's size (around 400,000-550,000)- The Clevelands, Miamis, K.C.'s, Pittsburghs, Tampas and Minneapoliss', and Cincinattis. In fact they did better than big metropolitan centers such as Detroit, Phoenix, Denver and Toronto (OK they don't count). The only other mid sized cities to do better than the A's are Milwaukee (virtually same as the A's), Atlanta (which shouldn't count as they are mid sized city but is the center of the southern universe) and St. Louis (they take baseball as a religion). I don't expect the A's to compete with the NY's, LA's Chi's and even SF.

So I take the A's attendance with a grain of salt. They aren't doing that bad when you break it down

Southpaw Slim · Post by **Southpaw Slim** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 12:10 am

I stand corrected. the league apologizes to everyone I have offended with my insensitive comment.

AntMoOAK · Post by **AntMoOAK** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 12:17 am

insensitive comment ?

Post by **Baseball=Life** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 12:44 am

Yeah Nick, you melodramatic beotch, what the fuck are you talking about?

Chris Adams · Post by **Chris Adams** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 1:45 pm

I think creating artificial demand really sucks. I like to go to about 25-30 games a year, and I like cheap seats. And I like sitting high up with a nice view. I don't think I enjoy a game down at field level enough more than up high to justify the price difference. I enjoy sitting up in the third deck, with room to stretch out, listening to the radio. Also, I don't buy this idea that they can't plan concessions because of the walk-up attendence. If they want to only put concessions on the first or second level, fine. And it looks stupid to cover up a lot of your stadium. And it will be hard to get tickets for big name team games. I have a 22 game bleacher package, but I invite different people to go to games with me, frequently hours before. The new policy might fuck up my program. And we don't need a new stadium. What a waste of money. Who are these yahoos who'll only go to a new stadium?

Chris Adams · Post by **Chris Adams** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 1:46 pm

I think creating artificial demand really sucks. I like to go to about 25-30 games a year, and I like cheap seats. And I like sitting high up with a nice view. I don't think I enjoy a game down at field level enough more than up high to justify the price difference. I enjoy sitting up in the third deck, with room to stretch out, listening to the radio. Also, I don't buy this idea that they can't plan concessions because of the walk-up attendence. If they want to only put concessions on the first or second level, fine. And it looks stupid to cover up a lot of your stadium. And it will be hard to get tickets for big name team games. I have a 22 game bleacher package, but I invite different people to go to games with me, frequently hours before. The new policy might fuck up my program. And we don't need a new stadium. What a waste of money. Who are these yahoos who'll only go to a new stadium?

TheLegend · Post by **TheLegend** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 4:23 pm

retep wrote: The A’s are simply a less successful and less funded capitalist franchise than the Giants.

Someone hasn't read Money Ball.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 5:04 pm

yeah, i read it. i don't remember what it said about new stadiums.