WATCH: Fans remove seats from Oakland Coliseum

As the Oakland Athletics play its final series at the Oakland Coliseum, a few fans attempted to take home a significant souvenir home with them on Tuesday night.

Following the A’s 5-4 walk-off win over the Texas Rangers, fans were recorded hoisting a set of seats over their heads just moments after removing them from the Coliseum floor as others clapped and cheered them on.

According to The Athletic‘s Susan Slusser, the Athletics confirmed that the fans did disassemble the seats but were stopped on the way out of the Coliseum. The seats were confiscated from the fans and re-installed in their original location.

With just two games remaining until the Coliseum says goodbye to the Athletics ahead of their move to Sacramento and Las Vegas, it’s fair to expect that more fans will attempt to take their seats home with them–but that doesn’t mean they will make it through the gates into the parking lot.

Per Slusser’s report, fans attempting to remove seats from the Coliseum will be stopped, and the seats will be returned to their place in the stands.

Fans are taking the literal seats out of the Coliseum 😭 pic.twitter.com/tmbSCM1YSY

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) September 25, 2024

 

More on the Oakland Athletics’ departure from Oakland Coliseum

The Oakland Athletics will relocate to Sacramento beginning next season, but plenty of work will need to be done this fall and winter to ensure their home ballpark meets MLB standards by Opening Day 2025.

According to Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, Sutter Health Park will receive major-league upgrades–including an entirely new playing surface–before next season begins.

The West Sacramento ballpark is home of the San Francisco Giants’ AAA affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats, and both the Athletics and River Cats will share the diamond for at least the next three seasons as the city of Las Vegas begins construction on a stadium.

The target date for completing the Las Vegas ballpark is 2028, but many around the league are skeptical that will come to fruition. This means that MLB and Sacramento will need to upgrade Sutter Health Park for the long haul in case the A’s remain in Northern California past the 2027 season.

“They are actually constructing a separate building adjacent to the stadium that will be the home clubhouse,” Manfred said in late May at the conclusion of MLB’s spring owner meetings, per The Athletic‘s Evan Drellich.

“They’re renovating the visiting clubhouse. There’s going to be new artificial turf installed. They are upgrading the camera capability, so they get major-league quality broadcasts out of Sacramento,” Manfred continued. “There are some revenue-associated renovations: some club seating and video boards that are being done in the stadium.

“So, there’s a lot going on there to get it up to snuff for the interim period. They’ve had great receptivity. I think they have seat deposits from, like, 13,000 people or something. They’re doing okay.”

Sutter Health Park and the River Cats are owned by Vivek Ranadive, owner of the Sacramento Kings. Ranadive and A’s owner, John Fisher, hammered out an agreement that will give the Athletics a park to call home following failed negotiations with the city of Oakland on the Coliseum lease.

“I’m thrilled to welcome the A’s to Sutter Health Park, where players and fans alike can enjoy a world-class baseball experience and create unforgettable memories,” Ranadive said. “Today marks the next chapter of professional sports in Sacramento. The passion of our fans is second to none, and this is an incredible opportunity to showcase one of the most dynamic and vibrant markets in the country.”

Major League Baseball approved the Athletics’ proposal for relocation to Las Vegas in November.

Plans are in place for a $1.5 billion, nine-acre stadium at the site of the Tropicana Hotel with the City of Las Vegas granting $380 million in public funding for construction in 2023. However, the ballpark will not open until at least the end of the 2027 calendar year, meaning the first season it could host the A’s in the regular season would be 2028.

Sutter Health Park opened in 2000 and has 10,624 seats, but could be modified to accommodate up to 14,000.

Upcoming Oakland Athletics Schedule

• Friday, September 20th-Sunday, September 22nd – vs. New York Yankees
• Tuesday, September 24th-Thursday, September 26th – Texas Rangers
• Friday, September 27th – Sunday, September 29th – @ Seattle Mariners
• End of 2024 regular season

Upcoming 2025 MLB Offseason Dates

• MLB free agency begins the day after the final World Series game
• Players can sign contracts with new teams five days after the final World Series game
• December 8-11th – MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas, TX
• February TBD – Pitchers & catchers report for Spring Training

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