STOCKTON, Calif. — The Stockton Ports, one of the Oakland A’s affiliates, kicked off its season Friday evening against the Modesto Nuts with more eyes than usual.
The buzz surrounding this season is unlike any other. In the stands, the colors green and yellow around the stadium, represent the Ports’ Big-League affiliate — the Oakland A’s.
Some lifelong fans sporting the minor league affiliate instead of the Major League Club. This after the A’s announced the team will leave Oakland after this season to play temporarily in West Sacramento before permanently moving to Las Vegas.
“Pathetic,” said Angel Rivera, a lifelong fan from Stockton. “They are done. They are a minor league team right now (and) they play like one. So why pay major league prices when you do not have to?”
“I am not doing okay,” said Quintona Branch, a part of Oakland 68s, an independent supports fan group for Oakland A’s, Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul.
Fans like Branch traveling from Oakland to support the Ports who play in Stockton.
“Enough is enough,” said Branch. “The only thing that we can do is try to spend our green somewhere else.”
Baseball's Last Dive Bar, one of the A's most vocal fan groups, hopes to fill seats at Banner Island Ballpark in protest of the A’s owner and the move to Las Vegas.
“I do not like the ownership,” said Paul Rollins, a lifelong fan who traveled to the Ports game from Tracy. “They are kind of taking the history away from the fans in Oakland.”
Some fans at times feel powerless but are taking their dollars to Stockton and supporting Ports.
“I support these guys and go from there,” said Rivera of the Ports. “They deserve it more.”
While fans events for the whole season are still in the works, the Last Dive Bar group already has two fan events planned including a tailgate and luau night May 3.
