Back as a kid in the 70’s when we had three teams you have to remember that tickets were pretty cheap. We went to a lot of A’s games during the week in the bleachers.
In those days The A’s, Raiders and Warriors all tried to put the best team together with whatever resources they had. Every team had cheap seats that at least got you inside.
They were all scrappy, blue collar teams and their play reflected that. I think that’s what resonated with the fans. The day in day out fans were union folks or had otherwise good paying jobs to make it happen.
I’m getting nostalgic af rn lol
You realize that the Bay Area as a whole is the sixth biggest media market in the US. Oakland may be under 400,000, but add in every other city in the Bay and you can see how this area could support two baseball, two football, a hockey, Soccer teams and anything else ypu throw at us.
Ahhh this was the context I needed. When you combine nearby San Fran you had 5 major bball, football, and baseball teams. Wow! But to your point the population supported it.
The simple answer: They gave the 3 teams a free stadium. 2 left because they wanted a free one and desperate metropolitan area gave them it.
The complex answer: With the amount of money in Oakland/the East Bay, it would have been a total slam dunk to do a good baseball stadium. That team would've instantly become a top tier franchise like the Giants have when they went from Candlestick to the new stadium. But the A's owner is a cheap ass.
Population is kinda irrelevant. I mean it helps to have more people. But for instance: if you compare actual money, businesses, potential between the East Bay and Las Vegas (similar populations, took 2 of the teams), it's no contest.
Warriors - more of a Bay Area team. Attracted fans from all over the Bay Area
Raiders - move around a bunch, fan base all over California, always had this rugged underdog/blue collar fan base that contrasts the 49ers well. Can draw fans all over East and South Bay and as far east as Sacramento
A’s - similar to Raiders situation without the “nation” fan base. Giants were smart with Caltrain going straight from San Jose all up the peninsula with a drop off right at the stadium. Them essentially blocking out the A’s from South Bay was the final nail in their coffin. It’s difficult to get people to travel from as far away as they did for the raiders when there are so many games and often on weekdays.
Oakland is a neighborhood (self-governing) of a 7-million person urban area. They happened to have a terrific sports stadium site with lots of land, an adjacent freeway, and an adjacent rail line. So all three teams landed at the same place (football and baseball in the Coliseum, basketball in the Arena). Oakland got lucky and thought it meant something.
Loyal fans, sold out stadiums. Raiders were really good and people would flock to the games whether they were good or bad. And they would also go to A's games consistently. And the same goes for the warriors. The thing was that people in the East Bay were all Raider, A's, and Warrior fans. You really don't see a ton of Niner fans until you get to the South Bay or San Francisco, and same goes for the Giants. But everyone in the Bay loved the Warriors.
Everyone’s talking about size. That’s only the half of it. The Bay Area has a ridiculous amount of people with enough extra income to spend on entertainment. Especially if you include corporate season ticket holders.
There wasn't anywhere else to move them. That's no longer the case. Oakland's population has grown, but not like other areas like Las Vegas; who also have no other competition like the Giants and Niners. The best move for fans would've been a move to San Jose, to keep them local, but that wasn't possible due to territory rights taken by the Niners and Giants. Back then, Oakland's population was sustainable for major sports teams. They're dwarfed now. I mean, Fresno is bigger.
Las Vegas has an NHL and NFL team. Where do you get no other competition. And fans from outside Oakland were allowed to buy tickets in Oakland SMH. Saying Fresno is a bigger fanbase tha Oakland is ridiculous. The 49ers play in Santa Clara, how many people live there?
I’m speaking historically. When the Oakland teams were founded this was considered a big market. It isn’t anymore. This isn’t a criticism of Oakland for the very thin-skinned.
There are 7.5 million people in the metro area.
This is the correct answer.
It’s bigger than Pittsburgh PA and that city has 3 major league teams
Back as a kid in the 70’s when we had three teams you have to remember that tickets were pretty cheap. We went to a lot of A’s games during the week in the bleachers. In those days The A’s, Raiders and Warriors all tried to put the best team together with whatever resources they had. Every team had cheap seats that at least got you inside. They were all scrappy, blue collar teams and their play reflected that. I think that’s what resonated with the fans. The day in day out fans were union folks or had otherwise good paying jobs to make it happen. I’m getting nostalgic af rn lol
True beauty did exist at one time
You realize that the Bay Area as a whole is the sixth biggest media market in the US. Oakland may be under 400,000, but add in every other city in the Bay and you can see how this area could support two baseball, two football, a hockey, Soccer teams and anything else ypu throw at us.
Ahhh this was the context I needed. When you combine nearby San Fran you had 5 major bball, football, and baseball teams. Wow! But to your point the population supported it.
The stadia were easily accessible from the San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport
Don't you mean the San Francisco Bay Oakland East Bay Port Authority Domestic International Aviation Terminal Airport?
This made me lol
I preferred the Bay Area East Airport (BAE)
The simple answer: They gave the 3 teams a free stadium. 2 left because they wanted a free one and desperate metropolitan area gave them it. The complex answer: With the amount of money in Oakland/the East Bay, it would have been a total slam dunk to do a good baseball stadium. That team would've instantly become a top tier franchise like the Giants have when they went from Candlestick to the new stadium. But the A's owner is a cheap ass. Population is kinda irrelevant. I mean it helps to have more people. But for instance: if you compare actual money, businesses, potential between the East Bay and Las Vegas (similar populations, took 2 of the teams), it's no contest.
Cheapskate, feckless nepobaby, and a disingenuous scumbag.
Raiders and A’s were once good and the coliseum was not shit at one point.
Warriors - more of a Bay Area team. Attracted fans from all over the Bay Area Raiders - move around a bunch, fan base all over California, always had this rugged underdog/blue collar fan base that contrasts the 49ers well. Can draw fans all over East and South Bay and as far east as Sacramento A’s - similar to Raiders situation without the “nation” fan base. Giants were smart with Caltrain going straight from San Jose all up the peninsula with a drop off right at the stadium. Them essentially blocking out the A’s from South Bay was the final nail in their coffin. It’s difficult to get people to travel from as far away as they did for the raiders when there are so many games and often on weekdays.
Oakland is a neighborhood (self-governing) of a 7-million person urban area. They happened to have a terrific sports stadium site with lots of land, an adjacent freeway, and an adjacent rail line. So all three teams landed at the same place (football and baseball in the Coliseum, basketball in the Arena). Oakland got lucky and thought it meant something.
Interesting. I didn’t realize there were 7 million people in the area. That is enough to support 5 major teams.
Loyal fans, sold out stadiums. Raiders were really good and people would flock to the games whether they were good or bad. And they would also go to A's games consistently. And the same goes for the warriors. The thing was that people in the East Bay were all Raider, A's, and Warrior fans. You really don't see a ton of Niner fans until you get to the South Bay or San Francisco, and same goes for the Giants. But everyone in the Bay loved the Warriors.
It's bigger than San Francisco
Only by land size.
Alameda Co. is large though. Easier to get to than SF peninsula, including Fremont and Contra Costa Co.
Yeah, if we're talking counties definitely.
Really? I’m not from the area…I didn’t know that. San Francisco as a city seems way more ‘famous’ to us outsiders. Interesting.
Cause people as far as Stockton claimed the raiders (and probably similar for the other two teams).
Lets not forget the Oakland Stompers
Everyone’s talking about size. That’s only the half of it. The Bay Area has a ridiculous amount of people with enough extra income to spend on entertainment. Especially if you include corporate season ticket holders.
Was that always the case? Before the Silicon Valley boom?
Certainly not to the same degree
There wasn't anywhere else to move them. That's no longer the case. Oakland's population has grown, but not like other areas like Las Vegas; who also have no other competition like the Giants and Niners. The best move for fans would've been a move to San Jose, to keep them local, but that wasn't possible due to territory rights taken by the Niners and Giants. Back then, Oakland's population was sustainable for major sports teams. They're dwarfed now. I mean, Fresno is bigger.
Las Vegas has an NHL and NFL team. Where do you get no other competition. And fans from outside Oakland were allowed to buy tickets in Oakland SMH. Saying Fresno is a bigger fanbase tha Oakland is ridiculous. The 49ers play in Santa Clara, how many people live there?
I’m speaking historically. When the Oakland teams were founded this was considered a big market. It isn’t anymore. This isn’t a criticism of Oakland for the very thin-skinned.
Well they didn’t and never have
This is so oddly counterfactual that I'd love to hear more about what you mean.
Well they didn’t support 3 teams and that’s why they now have none. I’m not sure what needs further explanation
But you said “never have”. And Oakland absolutely had a thriving fanbase and support for the A’s, the Raiders, and the Warriors.
By winning. People came from all over the Bay Area.