You know how it feels like sometimes TV shows don't know how to end their final season and end up adding things that didn't need to be added? Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher had a similar experience with the A's set to play their final home games in Oakland.
Fisher, who has been highly scrutinized by fans for his ownership of the team, decided to write a letter to fans of the Athletics. It was an opportunity to take some, pardon the pun, ownership over what has transpired regarding the circumstances leading to the team leaving the city it has called home for 57 years. Instead, he provided some highlights from the franchise and left in a typo when referring to the Loma "Preita" earthquake in 1989.
Fans reading the letter expressed their anger and sadness at the situation, and this letter feels like the nail in the coffin. It blew up on social media as Fisher was criticized for his stinginess and consistent lack of desire to spend money to improve the team. Fans of other MLB teams may only know about Oakland from the movie "Moneyball" and it's often forgotten that the entire reason the situation existed was because the owner wouldn't give GM Billy Beane more money to work with to build a team.
The Athletics will play their final three home games at the Oakland Coliseum this week with a three-game set against the Texas Rangers. The final game will be on Thursday, Sept. 26.
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John Fisher letter, explained
Here is John Fisher's letter to Athletics fans in full:
To our Oakland Athletics Fans:
This upcoming series with the Texas Rangers will be the final games of the A's storied 57 years in Oakland. And while the A's previously played in Philadelphia and Kansas City, Oakland has been home for the greatest era in the franchise's more than 123-year history.
Four World Series Championships. Six pennants and 17 division titles. Seven Baseball Hall of Famers. Charlie Finley and his mule. Billy Ball. Reggie and his incomparable swagger. Rollie and his handlebar mustache. Dave Stewart and the stare. Bill King's "Holy Toledo." Rickey, the greatest leadoff hitter in baseball history. The list goes on and on.
Triumphs, near misses, the 1989 Loma Preita earthquake in Game 3 of the Bay Bridge Series, the 20-game win streak, a Hollywood movie, and an unmatched cast of players, coaches, and fans. We've had it all.
And that, I know, is what makes our departure so very hard.
The A's are part of the fabric of Oakland, the East Bay, and the entire Bay Area. When Lew Wolff and I bought the team in 2005, our dream was to win world championships and build a new ballpark in Oakland. Over the next 18 years, we did our very best to make that happen. We proposed and pursued five different locations in the Bay Area. And despite mutual and ongoing efforts to get a deal done for the Howard Terminal project, we came up short.
Only in 2021, after 16 years of working exclusively on developing a home in the Bay Area and faced with a binding MLB agreement to find a new home by 2024. did we begin to explore taking the team to Las Vegas.
There are millions of dedicated and passionate A's fans, in Oakland and around the world. 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.
Looking ahead, I hope you will join our beloved A's as we move forward on this amazing journey. I hope I will see you again sporting the Green and Gold. And I hope we will make you proud.
John Fisher
The letter may seem like the right move, but it hasn't been well received by fans.
If the fan base had turned on the team that was successful and they just weren't interested in a bad market, this may make sense. But so much of what has transpired with the Athletics has so many fingers of blame pointing right back to Fisher.
Reactions to John Fisher's letter
Active players probably won't be able to weigh in on the situation and give their full thoughts. Former players are starting to react, though.
Dear John,
— Trevor May (@IamTrevorMay) September 23, 2024
With all due respect, which is more than you likely deserve, save it. Be an adult. Get in front of a camera and say it with your chest. Releasing a letter, clearly written by someone else, and including a bunch of names you DEFINITELY do not know, is just… pic.twitter.com/3nOOC9xBit
Josh Reddick, who played for Oakland from 2012-2016, re-posted May's post with a simple "This" with a down arrow pointing to May's words.
KGO's Larry Beil went viral for his reaction to the letter.
Larry Beil of KGO (Bay Area's ABC affiliate) read "a great work of fiction," AKA John Fisher's letter to Oakland A's fans.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 24, 2024
Then strongly reacted to it.
Well worth the time.
(H/T @LastDiveBar)pic.twitter.com/JJmyDVuKyY
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When did John Fisher buy the A's?
The Athletics franchise was formed in 1901 and spent the first 54 years of its existence in Philadelphia. They moved to Kansas City in 1955 and were there until 1967. The A's have been in Oakland since 1968.
Fisher and his investments business partner Lewis Wolff bought the Athletics in 2005. Wolff sold his shares to Fisher in 2016, giving him total ownership of the team.
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When are the A's moving to Las Vegas?
The Athletics move just feels weird. Not that the owner wants to try a different market, but just how it is happening. The Athletics are moving to Las Vegas in 2028. There are going to be three full seasons that the A's will be playing in Sacramento.
While not an apples-to-apples situation, the Arizona Coyotes in the NHL were approved to move to Salt Lake City. The Coyotes have been rebranded the Utah Hockey Club and will start play in Salt Lake City, Utah this season.
Yes, the Athletics are building a stadium in Las Vegas. When the Oakland Raiders left the city for Las Vegas, they didn't spend three seasons playing somewhere else while the stadium was being built. Again, this added wrinkle feels like a Fisher issue.
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Where will the A's play in 2025?
The Athletics' temporary home will be in West Sacramento. They will play at Sutter Health Park from 2025-2027 before officially moving to Las Vegas.
They haven't released yet if the franchise will become the Sacramento Athletics, the Las Vegas Athletics or remain the Oakland Athletics during the time they are in Sacramento.
The stadium has served as the home for the Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. It currently has a capacity of just 14,014 between its seats and lawn seats.
