'We will fight to the end to keep our team in Oakland': A's fans plan 'Reverse Boycott'

Dawn Pieper will show her love for the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night in the spirit of her late husband, Jay, who is the reason she became such a loyal supporter. Lifelong fan Gabriel Hernandez will cheer his heart out in hopes everyone in attendance can make a meaningful, monumental statement that they are far from done fighting to keep their team in the East Bay.

Fed-up fans in Oakland have hatched an unusual plan to protest the A's despised ownership group.

They're buying tickets.

Organizers are calling on A's supporters to stage a "Reverse Boycott" at the Coliseum on Tuesday. They plan to give away T-shirts to the first 7,000 fans to arrive and are hoping to make a statement with the biggest, most spirited crowd of the year when the A's host Tampa Bay. The goal is a sellout for a team with dismal attendance all season that has regularly been topped by most Triple-A franchises.

The bright green T-shirts made by local company Oaklandish read "SELL" — a message for owner John Fisher to give up the team to someone who might keep it here. Nevada lawmakers, meanwhile, are discussing the A's proposed financing plan to build a new ballpark in Las Vegas.

Hernandez offered this message to fellow fans: "Be Loud, Be Proud, Bring Sign, Speak Your Mind, Go A's."

"I've been a fan my whole life. Raised in Oakland my whole life, no other sport connected with me like how the A's have and started going diehard mode in 2014," the 24-year-old Hernandez said. "Personally, I'm at a loss for words, as A's fans try again to keep their team in Oakland with plans already in full swing for a new ballpark in Las Vegas. To see not only A's fans but other MLB fans help come together supporting the movement, I'm proud of the fans who participated."

'It is time to make a statement'

Naomi Arnst, a fan for 51 years, purchased a pair of tickets Monday for $144 US each, including service charges, and another $147.50 on parking. The seats in section 110 are close to where she used to sit with corporate tickets. It's all worth the expense to be there Tuesday, and she notes, "With parking it cost as much as an A-list Broadway show."

"But it is time to make a statement," she said.

A's manager Mark Kotsay understands how much these passionate fans want their team to stay and applauds them for expressing themselves. He played for the A's parts of four seasons from 2004-07.

"Being here since 2004, which was my first year in this stadium, the bond that you get with this group of fans and fan base, you know the passion, you know the love regardless like I always talk about of the numbers," he said. "The difference this season is they're in an uncharted territory with the direction of this organization. It's only right for them to come out tomorrow and in one aspect peacefully display their feelings toward this organization possibly moving and the hope on our end is they also support the players, and I think they will."

Pieper, a season ticketholder for five years, said her husband who grew up in Oakland would "be sick to his stomach over this situation."

Fans are hoping to show that support still exists for the A's, if not for Fisher, in a sign that the franchise shouldn't turn its back on Oakland.

"I want to thank and appreciate the fans who organized the incredible reverse boycott for Tuesday, and encourage people to attend the A's game tomorrow," Oakland Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan said in a message to The Associated Press. "Oakland has the best weather, the best community, and is a fabulous place for baseball."

Hernandez offered his gratitude to everyone who has helped in some way to make Tuesday's event happen, vowing that A's fans will be heard.

"We hope to make a statement to not only ownership but to MLB and the whole world that this isn't our fault, that we are here. Stop blaming us as fans for someone who is basically telling me to stop coming by trading our players, raising prices, taking away season ticket benefits like 50 per cent concessions, 25 per cent [merchandise], $10 parking. We aren't going down without a fight."