For Pete's Sake

Photos from Royals-A’s series shows just how barren the Oakland Coliseum has become

A shirtless fan sits in the stands during the eighth inning between the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
A shirtless fan sits in the stands during the eighth inning between the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. USA TODAY Sports

The two worst teams in Major League Baseball squared off this week in Oakland and 12,191 people turned out to watch.

That wasn’t the attendance for just one of the games between the Royals and A’s. That was the announced attendance for the entire three-game series at the Oakland Coliseum.

The A’s have designs on moving to Las Vegas, but fans this week could be seen and heard continuing their push for owner John Fisher to sell the franchise.

Oakland has the lowest average attendance in the majors and the three-game series drew fewer fans than what the Miami Marlins average (14,157) for a home game.

Miami is 29th in MLB attendance this season, so that’s not a bar that should be difficult to clear.

It made for an unusual scene at the Oakland Coliseum as a small but vocal group made it known they want new ownership.

Here are some photos from the series at the Coliseum. You can see how barren the stadium has become, other than fans demanding Fisher sell the franchise.

A lone fan in the stands.
A lone fan in the stands. Kelley L Cox USA TODAY Sports
A fan reads a newspaper during the eighth inning between the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
A fan reads a newspaper during the eighth inning between the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Kelley L Cox USA TODAY Sports
Kansas City Royals pitcher Angel Zerpa (61) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Athletics in a barren Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Kansas City Royals pitcher Angel Zerpa (61) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Athletics in a barren Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Ed Szczepanski USA TODAY Sports
A shirtless fan sits in the stands during the eighth inning between the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
A shirtless fan sits in the stands during the eighth inning between the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Kelley L Cox USA TODAY Sports
The mostly empty second and third level bleachers during the eighth inning between the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
The mostly empty second and third level bleachers during the eighth inning between the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Kelley L Cox USA TODAY Sports
Oakland Athletics fans chant “sell the team” in the outfield during the first inning of the game against the Kansas City Royals at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Oakland Athletics fans chant “sell the team” in the outfield during the first inning of the game against the Kansas City Royals at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Ed Szczepanski USA TODAY Sports

This story was originally published August 24, 2023 at 10:56 AM.

Pete Grathoff
The Kansas City Star
From covering the World Series to the World Cup, Pete Grathoff has done a little bit of everything since joining The Kansas City Star in 1997.
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