Good afternoon fellow baseball fans,
My name is Todd from the Oakland 68’s. If you don’t know who we are, we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and creators of the “SELL” shirts. Many of our members and supporters will be traveling to your ballpark tomorrow for one final protest to close out the 2023 regular season.
Our group was founded by a few diehard A’s fans in the RF bleachers. For years we have hung signs in the RF bleachers, however it wasn’t until this year prior to our big Reverse Boycott game on June 13th that our organization has become a unified voice for the entire fanbase.
We are all about fans, and community. Many of us were born A’s fans, and our children were born A’s fans- being A’s fans is part of the cultural identity of our community. After 55 years, John Fisher, owner of the A’s (and with the full support of Rob Manfred), is trying to relocate the team to Las Vegas for a 9 acre parcel of land they don’t own, and $380mm in public funding. The story MLB often forgets to mention is Fisher proposed a $12 billion dollar project in Oakland, where he was to receive nearly $1bn in public funds for 55 acres of bay waterfront property, including commercial, residential and a ballpark.
Fisher and Manfred claim they left to pursue Vegas because Oakland couldn’t put a deal together, yet the funding gap was $36 million on a $12bn project (with multiple grants pending that would have covered the gap). They walked away from this project for 9 acres of leased land and a ballpark they do not own, and have blamed the fans, and the city of Oakland.
Manfred’s supporting of owners’ extorting cities for public funds and threatening relocation will not stop unless fans stand together in solidarity. Our “Summer of Sell” has been an effort to educate other fanbases about what is REALLY happening in Oakland, and ask you all to stand with us in solidarity.
After the first batter of the 5th inning, we ask all fans who are in support of our cause to stand with us and chant “SELL THE TEAM”. We have had success engaging fanbases at many visiting ballparks, and hope to continue the display of unity with you all.
If anyone doesn’t have tickets, and would like to come and sit with us at the game tomorrow, we still have remaining tickets from the group tickets we purchased. If you purchase the tickets from us in addition to the ticket you will also receive a lifetime membership to the Oakland 68’s, a kelly green SELL shirt (if you want/don’t already have one), and our limited edition SELLephant hat.
If you want to come say hi, or hear more about us, come hang out and have a beer with us from 2-5pm at Golden Road Brewery.
We hope you will stand with us in solidarity and close out the season with a demonstration of unity amongst fans. We all deserve better than owners who treat us like an afterthought, and secondary to their profit.
We hope to see you tomorrow!
Cheers,
Todd from the Oakland 68s
